Senate bill would bar sex offenders from chiropractic practice on Owatonna

OWATONNA — When Minnesota Sen. Sharon Erickson Ropes, DFL-Winona, heard that a convicted sex offender from Owatonna would be allowed to once again practice chiropractic medicine due to a loophole in licensing laws, she wanted to do something about it.

Erickson Ropes has written bill, SF 3147 that would require the Board of Chiropractic Examiners to deny and revoke licenses to any persons convicted of felony-level criminal sexual conduct offenses.

Current state law says licensed professionals can’t be barred from practicing after a criminal conviction if they show regulators that they have been rehabilitated.

The bill was heard and passed unanimously Wednesday night by the Health, Housing and Family Security Committee.

“I wholeheartedly support the bill,” said Sen. Mike Parry, R-District 26. “It’s the right thing to do.”

Erickson Ropes built her case for the bill around the recent decision by the state Board of Chiropractic Examiners to grant Dr. Scott Fredin’s request to get his license back.

In 2002, Fredin, then a practicing chiropractor in Owatonna, was arrested after female patients came forward alleging Fredin had sexually assaulted them.

In 2003, Fredin pleaded guilty to two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct in Steele County District Court. After serving jail time, Fredin was to serve 10 years on probation. In January 2009, Fredin was again back in court for a violation of his probation. Fredin was found drinking wine by officers performing a routine check on him at his home in Savage.

Although Fredin could practice chiropractics under current law, the 41-year-old won’t be allowed to treat female patients without someone else in the room.

Medical doctors, acupuncturists, midwives and pathologists are all under the medical licensing board, which already has laws preventing the licensing of convicted offenders. However, the Minnesota Chiropractic Examiners does not.

Erickson Ropes said she was surprised to learn of the exception.

“I thought chiropractors are doctors and they should be held to the same high standards as doctors and other medical professionals,” she said. “We put a bill together that really holds them to the same high standards as other medical doctors. Minnesota Chiropractic Association is very much in support of that high level standard.”

The bill will now be heard by the state’s judicial committee and, if it passes, will be sent to the Senate floor for a vote.

Parry said he will be signing on to the bill as a co-author after learning more about it this week in an effort to prevent any further incidents.

“Once a boundary violation like that is committed, we can not afford to play somebody back in to a position where something like that could happen again,” Parry said.

Erickson Ropes said from this incident, she now intends to find if there is a similar gap in policy with other licensing boards such as in the nursing, physical therapy or dentistry profession.

“That’s the next step for me. I’m going to be sending out inquiries. Now that we’re aware that the chiropractic board had this gap, the next logical question is are there other gaps for other boards,” Erickson Ropes said.

Wendy Reuer can be reached at 444-1565.

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Member Opinions: By: Thinking_Outloud on 3/12/10 This is the kind of government regulation I can fully support! Kudos to Sen. Sharon Erickson Ropes and any other government official who will support her bill. I will be watching this closely and watching who supports it, and who does not. By: Happy42 on 3/12/10 YES I agree TO.....I would hope everyone would support this one!! By: lkylarry on 3/12/10 Seems like a no-brainer! I was pretty shocked the loophole existed too! By: bigeagle on 3/12/10 Maybe they should prevent perverts from serving in the legislature as well. Might help clean up a whole lot of the screwing we get from the government. By: O.Tool on 3/12/10 So, tell us about all the perverts you know are in the legislature, bigeagle. By: secretsquirrel on 3/13/10 If we must have it all spelled out as to who is considered a medical professional, I hope they have sense enough to include proctologists, urologists and OB/GYNa... TO - I don't think there will be anyone NOT supporting this one. LOL By: OPPuss on 3/17/10 That was real funny bigeagle! Great one! I've heard of "Cracked backs" & "Cracked necks" but what gets "Cracked" during sex? LOL :)
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