NJ Bill Would Remove Current Board Of Chiropractors

TRENTON, NJ — Top New Jersey Senate officials didn't wait long to put action behind their words. Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg are poised to introduce a bill that would remove the current State Board of Chiropractic Examminers and ban anyone convicted of a felony sex offense from obtaining a license in the state.

This comes as a direct result of the board's recent decision to reinstate the license of Bryan Bajakian, a former Bergen County chiropractor and a convicted sex offender.

"This board has clearly lost sight of its responsibility to protect the health and safety of the people of New Jersey," Sweeney said. "Giving a convicted sex offender the sanctioned permission to return to the practice is irresponsible and illogical. Bryan Bajakian is a predator who should be denied the opportunity to threaten anyone again."

In April 2005 Bajakian was brought up on charges that included attempting to lure a child for purposes of committing a sex act, knowing of or possessing child pornography and illegal weapons possession. He eventually pleaded guilty to two counts of luring or enticing a child, and illegal weapons possession in 2008.

His license was formally revoked in October 2010 after the same board found that Bajakian engaged in sexual misconduct with an underage patient he spoke with over the internet. The board also found that Bajakian used the internet to engage in "conduct of a sexual nature" with six minors. Read more: Gov. Murphy: Sex Offender Getting NJ License Back 'Reprehensible'

Still, Bajakian was reinstated recently despite a motion from New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, which urged the board to do the opposite.

The proposed bill would remove the current board, which officials say is "dominated by chiropractors," and reform it to include more public representation.

It would also ban anyone convicted of a felony sex crime from being licensed to work as a chiropractor in the state.

Weinberg posited that the board's decision to reinstate Bajakian's license would create an unwanted precedent, or worse.

"There is no way a sexual predator should also be a licensed chiropractor in New Jersey. If the board is going to reinstate this license, what, one might fairly ask, will it take for a chiropractic license to be revoked?" she asked.

The reinstatement decision was widely condemned by officials across the state, including Gov. Phil Murphy, who called the decision "reprehensible" and "unacceptable."

"Folks who voted to reinstate this guy should hear this loud and clear: We will be looking very carefully and very soon (at) the makeup of that board," he said.

As it turns out, very soon means right now.

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