09/30/2008
House Bill 5651, sponsored by Representative Paul Condino, passed the Senate Economic Development and Regulatory Reform Committee unanimously on Wednesday, September 24th. The bill would require massage therapists to obtain a state license to practice 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.
The bill still has a couple of hurdles to overcome, including two votes by the entire Senate and a House vote of concurrence with Senate amendments, before being presented to the governor. There is no action to take at this time.
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 (such as ABMP); 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: