This bill creates a new animal chiropractic license endorsement for Washington-licensed chiropractors by adding new sections to chapter 18.25 RCW and chapter 18.92 RCW. It establishes initial and renewal requirements (valid Washington chiropractic license, either completion within two years of an approved animal chiropractic education program of at least 210 hours or a current animal chiropractic certification, payment of specified fees), three-year endorsement terms, a continuing education requirement of 30 hours every three years, and limits on practice to chiropractors holding the endorsement. The endorsement authorizes chiropractors to perform chiropractic care on nonhuman animals only after a written referral from a Washington-licensed veterinarian who has personally examined the animal; animal chiropractors assume liability for the care they provide. The bill prohibits animal chiropractors from ordering certain imaging (magnetic, x-ray, sonographic) though they may review existing imaging reports, requires separate medical records retained for at least five years and transmitted to the referring veterinarian within seven days of each visit, and requires development of emergency-care notification protocols and client advisories to seek veterinary care for nonchiropractic issues. The bill also requires facilities that treat both human and animal patients to post signage and comply with clinical and sanitary standards by rule, grants the chiropractic commission rulemaking authority to implement the endorsement, creates limited immunity for animal chiropractors who report suspected animal cruelty in good faith under chapter 16.52 RCW, and requires the commission to share complaint or disciplinary information quarterly with the secretary and the veterinary board of governors. It establishes joint task force sections between the chiropractic commission and the veterinary board of governors (and between the board and the chiropractic quality assurance commission) to review complaints, investigations, and disciplinary actions related to animal chiropractic and to report by October 30, 2030; those task force sections expire July 1, 2031. Veterinarian-related provisions require referring veterinarians to include received chiropractic visit records in the animal’s medical record, state that referring veterinarians are not required to supervise and are not liable for the chiropractic care provided, and require veterinarians who deny a referral to provide contraindications within 14 days. Type of legal change: this is the creation of a new professional endorsement and a set of procedural and practice regulations (licensing/endorsement requirements, continuing education, recordkeeping, referral and scope restrictions, reporting and information-sharing duties, rulemaking authority, and limited immunity for mandated reports). The act sets effective date of July 1, 2027. The extracted text does not show any new criminal offenses or penalty changes. Unclear or missing details in the provided text: the single term "commission," the term "board," and the referenced "secretary" are not explicitly identified in these extracts; the identities of certification agencies and approved educational programs are to be set by future rule and are not specified here; specific fee amounts referenced by RCW 43.70.250 and 43.70.280 are not included; and the content of signage, clinical, and sanitary standards to be adopted by rule is not provided.

If enacted, licensed Washington chiropractors who obtain the new animal chiropractic endorsement will be able to offer chiropractic care to animals but only after a veterinarian has personally examined and referred the animal. Expect added costs and time for chiropractors: either completing an approved 210-hour program (within the prior two years) or holding a current animal chiropractic certification, paying state endorsement and renewal fees, completing 30 hours of animal-focused continuing education every three years, keeping separate medical records for five years, and sending a written record of each visit to the referring veterinarian within seven days. Animal chiropractors will assume direct liability for their care, may not order imaging, must encourage veterinary care for other health issues, develop emergency-notification protocols, and follow signage and facility standards if treating humans and animals at the same site. Veterinarians will need to perform the initial exam before referral and must include any records they receive from the chiropractor in the animal’s medical file; they are not required to supervise the chiropractor and are not liable for the chiropractor’s care, but must give written contraindications within 14 days if they deny a referral. State oversight bodies will face new rulemaking, complaint-sharing, and a temporary joint task force that must report by October 30, 2030. Key implementation details remain unclear from the text provided: which specific “commission,” “board,” and “secretary” are referenced, the exact fees, and which certification agencies, educational programs, signage, and clinical standards will be approved in future rules.