Washington Bill Proposes Criminal Penalties for Business Owners Who Allow Unlicensed Practice

A new bill introduced in the Washington state legislature, HB 1252, would amend the state’s massage therapy law by imposing new criminal penalties on massage and reflexology business owners who allow unlicensed practice in their businesses.  The bill states that any person who, “with knowledge or criminal negligence,” allows the unlicensed practice of massage or reflexology in his or her massage or reflexology business is guilty of a gross misdemeanor for the first violation, and a class C felony for subsequent violations.