05/09/2008
House bill 5651, sponsored by Representative Paul Condino will have a second hearing by the House Regulatory Reform Committee on Tuesday, May 13, 2008. The bill would establish state licensing standards for massage therapists and create a board of massage therapy to implement the process. If passed, a state license would pre-empt local regulations, only one license would be needed. It is early in the legislative process.
The bill establishes entry-level criteria for the profession:
- High school graduate or equivalent
- Good moral character
- 18 years old
- Passage of an exam approved by the board
- Complete a minimum 500 hour supervised massage therapy program
- For at least one year before the effective date of the law, the practitioner has been a member, as a massage therapist, of a national professional association (ABMP qualifies); or
- Signs an affidavit that he/she practiced massage therapy for at least 10 hours a week for 10 or more years; or
- Signs an affidavit that he/she has practiced massage therapy for at least 10 hours a week for 3 years and has obtained 300 hours of formal training from an approved school; or
- Has fulfilled the education requirement (a 500 hour massage therapy program); or
- Has fulfilled the examination requirement.
State: