Congratulations Colorado for the recent defeat of the monopolistic HB11-1173 that would have licensed Naturopathic Doctors and put in jeopardy traditional naturopaths and many other health care practitioners. The bill was opposed because the bill advocates would not agree to amendments presented to them by health freedom advocates. Colorado health freedom activists from Colorado’s Sunshine Health Freedom Foundation, Colorado Springs Health Freedom Steering Committee, National Health Freedom Action and Colorado Coalition for Natural Health all successfully opposed HB11-1173. It was defeated in Committee March 1, 2011, by a 7-6 vote.
HB11-1173, sponsored by Representative Reisberg, attempted to regulate naturopathic doctors but the bill did not have clear and concise exemptions for unlicensed traditional naturopaths or other unlicensed practitioners of the healing arts. The scope of practice listed in the bill would have covered all of natural health and as introduced spelled out criminal charges for anyone practicing as a naturopathic doctor that did not hold a state license to practice naturopathic medicine.
In the past, Colorado health freedom activists initiated the introduction of a health freedom safe harbor exemption bill in 2008 and 2010 that would protect consumer access to practitioners such as herbalists, traditional naturopaths, homeopaths, and other healing arts practitioners practicing in the public domain. The bills did not move forward but much education was done about health freedom and groups in Colorado continue to work to educate and lay the foundation for a successful health freedom bill.
This 2011 session, many hours were put in by leaders, and Colorado SHFF has gone to great lengths, hiring a local Colorado lobbyist to help represent their interests at the state house. Colorado has been a hot-bed of political activity regarding these issues in the past years, and Health Freedom leadership has come from a number of organizations. Many groups in Colorado are hoping for a successful safe harbor exemption bill passing in the future
Sunshine Health Freedom Foundation State Coordinator
Jan Kerschner M.H. Master Herbalist
120 N 4th Street, Suite A
Sterling, CO 80751
Phone: 970-522-7455, 970-571-3612
E-mail: myherblady@msn.com