North Carolina government is growing at an alarming rate, and if HB 1404 has any success, it will only grow faster. House Bill 1404, sponsored by Rep. Dewey Hill (D – Columbus), Rep. Pricey Harrison (D – Guilford), and Rep. Susan Fisher (D – Buncombe), requires licensing for all naturopathic doctors in our state. It would allow Raleigh to control yet another area of the private sector that would function just fine without it. Anyone unlicensed in naturopathic medicine after this bill comes into effect will be guilty of a Class I Felony. In addition to governmental regulation, this licensure act comes with a hefty price tag that serves as a formidable barrier to entry for anyone entering this health care industry. These fees include:
- Application and Examination Fee – $400.00
- License Fee – $600.00
- License Renewal – $400.00
- Late Renewal – $200.00
- Reinstatement – $1,000.00
- Criminal Background Check fee
The life of these licenses are to last only two years; thus in a ten year period, a naturopathic doctor may pay more than $2,600 to the licensing board. This is quite an imposition on such a small industry.
This is just one of the copious examples of the government’s desire to control and regulate, even when it is completely unnecessary or even detrimental to do so. For raising excessive fees on this health industry and unnecessarily dictating commercial affairs, HB 1404 is this week’s Bad Bill of the Week.
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