05/14/2021
ABMP last informed you of Senate Bill 227 (SB 227) in January 2021. SB 227 was introduced in the South Carolina 2021 legislative cycle and is essentially a cleanup bill. Included in the bill are updated licensing requirements that require both fingerprints and criminal background checks on all new and lapsed license applications. It also creates establishment licensure (with an additional sole practitioner establishment license). ABMP worked hard to minimize the impact of the establishment license on massage therapists. The bill is also intended to increase massage therapy training hours from 500 to 650 hours.
SB 227 was amended in the Senate and fees were modified. Listed below are the proposed fee changes:
- Initial license application fee: not to exceed $150 (currently $50)
- Endorsement application fee: not to exceed $200 (currently $100)
- Renewal fee: not to exceed $75 (currently $200)
- Reinstatement application fee from lapsed license status: not to exceed $210 (currently $250)
- Renewal fee for inactive status: not to exceed $150 (currently $200)
The amendments also include proposed fees for the new establishment license categories:
- Establishment initial license application fee for each location: not to exceed $150
- Biennial establishment license renewal fee for each location: not to exceed $100
- Establishment license reinstatement fee from lapsed status for each location: not to exceed $250
- Sole practitioner establishment initial license application fee: not to exceed $75
- Biennial sole practitioner establishment license renewal fee: not to exceed $50
- Sole practitioner establishment license reinstatement fee from lapsed status: not to exceed $150
SB 227 is out of the Senate and was in the House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee on Wednesday, May 12, 2021. The South Carolina legislative session adjourns on Thursday, May 13, 2021. As it still needs to go through the House, SB 227 will not pass through the legislature this session, but will go through the House next session in 2022.
If you have questions or concerns, email us at gr@abmp.com.