AB-1703 Osteopathic physicians and surgeons: unauthorized practice: unauthorized use of titles

What happened

AB 1703 proposes adding osteopathic manipulative treatment to the services excluded from the statutory exception for certain unlicensed practices, operative January 1, 2028 if enacted. It defines that treatment as the therapeutic application of manually guided forces to alleviate somatic dysfunction. The proposal expressly preserves the practice of a California-licensed healthcare profession and massage services authorized by California law; it should not be read as a blanket prohibition on every manual technique.

A separate proposed January 2028 provision would prohibit an individual not licensed by the Osteopathic Medical Board from using doctor of osteopathy or D.O., or using osteopath in the specified way that implies osteopathic licensure when offering or providing treatment for a medical or physical condition. Violation would be a misdemeanor. The existing version of the unlicensed-practice exception remains until the stated transition. During the September 20–26 coverage, these are proposed future restrictions, so credentialing and marketing teams can assess affected services and representations while continuing current scope and title rules.

Why it matters

Practice scope and how a practitioner is described require separate review, including the proposal’s explicit professional and massage carveout.

Sources

• AB-1703 Osteopathic physicians and surgeons: unauthorized practice: unauthorized use of titles, bill historyOfficial · California Legislature · 2026-08-31 · Source review 2026-09-10
• AB-1703 Osteopathic physicians and surgeons: unauthorized practice: unauthorized use of titles, current bill text (08/27/26 - Enrolled)Official · California Legislature · 2026-08-27 · Source review 2026-09-10