A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE STUDY COMMISSION ON complementary and alternative forms of medicine.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  There is created the Joint Legislative Study Committee on Complementary and Alternative Forms of Medicine in North Carolina. The Committee shall consist of 12 members. The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint six members, and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall appoint six members. 
The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint a cochair, and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall appoint a cochair for the Committee.  The Committee may meet at any time upon the joint call of the cochairs.  Vacancies on the Committee shall be filled by the same appointing authority as made the initial appointment.
The Committee, while in the discharge of its official duties, may exercise all powers provided for under G.S. 120‑19 and G.S. 120‑19.1 through G.S. 120‑19.4. The Committee may contract for professional, clerical, or consultant services as provided by G.S. 120‑32.02.
Subject to the approval of the Legislative Services Commission, the Committee may meet in the Legislative Building or the Legislative Office Building. The Legislative Services Commission, through the Legislative Services Officer, shall assign professional staff to assist the Committee in its work. The House of Representatives' and the Senate's Supervisors of Clerks shall assign clerical support staff to the Committee, and the expenses relating to the clerical employees shall be borne by the Committee. Members of the Committee shall receive subsistence and travel expenses at the rates set forth in G.S. 120‑3.1, 138‑5, or 138‑6, as appropriate.
SECTION 1.(b)  The Committee shall consider and report on:
(1)	Types of complementary and alternative health care services currently being offered and used in North Carolina.
(2)	Ways to remove current restrictions and facilitate access of consumers to complementary and alternative health care practitioners who are providing health care services not currently covered by existing medical licensing laws.
(3)	The impact of Health Freedom legislation in other states including Oklahoma, Minnesota, Rhode Island, California, and Idaho.
(4)	The need to safeguard public health and safety by requiring mandatory licensure of all persons who engage in the practice of complementary and alternative health care services to ensure minimum standards of competence, a minimum level of education, and experience.
(5)	Any other matter that the Committee deems appropriate or necessary to provide proper information to the General Assembly on the subject of the study.
SECTION 1.(c)  The Committee shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any legislative recommendations, to the 2008 Regular Session of the 2007 General Assembly or to the 2009 General Assembly upon its convening.  The Committee shall terminate on the convening of the 2009 General Assembly.
SECTION 1.(d)  Of the funds appropriated to the General Assembly, the Legislative Services Commission shall allocate funds for the expenses of the Committee established by this section.
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.