Pennsylvania

*Updated 8/25/2021* ABMP received correspondence from the Pennsylvania State Board of Massage Therapy and the Board Administrator clarified that massage therapists are permitted to complete 100% of continuing education hours online during the current biennial renewal period.

The Pennsylvania Bureau of Professionals and Occupational Affairs announced that COVID-19 waivers and suspensions issued during the pandemic will expire in the coming weeks. Find out which wavers and their expiration dates will affect massage therapists.

The Pennsylvania State Board of Massage Therapy (the Board) is seeking three licensed massage therapists to serve a four-year term on the Board. Apply today!

The Pennsylvania State Board of Massage Therapy (Board) released a Schedule of Criminal Convictions. The list outlines criminal convictions that may be grounds to refuse to issue, suspend, or revoke a massage therapy license, certificate, registration, or permit. Major convictions in the schedule include abuse, sexual offenses, drug act crimes, and crimes of violence.
 

The temporary waiver that suspended the requirement for licensed massage therapists to maintain active CPR certification is extended. The waiver extension allows any CPR certification that was in effect on March 17, 2020, to remain in effect through January 31, 2021.

Governor Wolf announced in a recent press release that the following counties will enter the Green Phase on June 26, 2020: Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Erie, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia, and Susquehanna.

Many counties entered the Green Phase, the third and final phase in Governor Tom Wolf's plan to reopen Pennsylvania.

There have been many changes in the cosmetology industry and community in response to COVID-19 (coronavirus), from executive orders affecting businesses to distance learning modifying the student experience. ABMP has summarized below how COVID-19 has impacted the licensing regulations and laws in the state of Pennsylvania.

We previously emailed you about a proposal to increase regulatory fees for massage therapists in Pennsylvania.  The state Board of Massage Therapy has now submitted the final-form regulation. The Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) plans to meet and act on this regulation at its public meeting at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 15, 2018. The agenda and any changes to the time or date of the meeting will be posted on IRRC's Web site at www.irrc.state.pa.us.  Click here for additional information on the regulation.

As we discussed in our last update, the Pennsylvania Board of Massage Therapy is proposing new regulations which would increase the application fee for initial massage therapy licensure from $65 to $100, the fee for approval of a continuing education program from $65 to $100, and the biennial renewal fee from $75 to $200. 

The Board's explanation for the proposed fee increase, as stated in the Regulatory Analysis Form, is as follows;