Recent News and Legislative Updates

Pennsylvania

05/16/2008

House bill 2499, sponsored by Representative McCall, has been introduced in the Pennsylvania General Assembly and was referred to the Committee on Professional Licensure on May 13, 2008. The bill would require a state license to practice massage therapy and establish a State Board of Massage Therapy to implement the law. If passed, the bill would allow existing practitioners to qualify for a license without obtaining additional education or taking an exam. To qualify for a license under this grandfathering provision an applicant would be required to meet ONE of the following requirements:

Michigan

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

Maryland

05/05/2008

House bill 1563, sponsored by Delegate Hubbard, was signed into law by the governor on April 24, 2008. The bill amends current law in two main ways.
  1. The law creates the State Board of Chiropractic and Massage Therapy Examiners to replace the Board of Chiropractic Examiners and the Massage Therapy Advisory Committee. There will now be eleven members appointed to the board: six chiropractors, three massage therapists, and two consumer members.

Colorado

05/05/2008

SB 219 passed the Colorado legislature on Monday, May 5, and is now awaiting Governor Ritter's action. The governor has three choices: sign the bill into law, allow the bill to become law without his signature, or veto the bill. He has 30 days to decide. ABMP will continue to keep members informed.

Colorado

04/30/2008

SB 219, sponsored by Senator Chris Romer, has been advancing through the Colorado General Assembly. Currently the bill is scheduled to be heard by the House Appropriations Committee. A lot has changed since the introduction of the bill and first committee hearing on April 16, 2008. Due to a compromise with the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), the bill has been amended from a licensure act to a mandatory registration program, which is a less rigid regulatory program. If passed, the bill would still benefit the massage therapy community in three primary ways:

    Florida

    04/25/2008

    On April 25, 2008, the Florida Board of Massage Therapy voted to accept the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Exam (MBLEx) offered by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB: www.fsmtb.org). The board voted to begin accepting the MBLEx on August 1, 2008, and use it exclusively beginning May 1, 2009. The board previously accepted the National Certification Exam for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB) offered by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a qualification for licensure.

    Colorado

    04/07/2008

    Senate Bill 219, sponsored by Senator Chris Romer, has been introduced in the Colorado General Assembly. The bill has been assigned to the Business, Labor and Technology Committee. If passed, SB 219 would establish a Massage Therapy Practice Act under the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, Division of Registrations. Licenses would be required of all massage therapists. If the bill does pass, massage therapists will be impacted as follows:

    Kentucky

    04/02/2008

    The Kentucky Board of Licensure for Massage Therapy is appointing an ad hoc committee to make recommendations regarding changes to the existing massage therapy licensing law. A survey was sent to all ABMP members who have an email address on file to gauge their opinions so that we may represent our Kentucky membership on this committee. If you have any comments, please contact Jean Robinson, Government Relations Director, at jean@abmp.com.

    Indiana

    02/29/2008

    Governor Daniels has made the initial appointments to the Indiana State Board of Massage Therapy. ABMP is disappointed to not have any of our members appointed, despite having at least 12 members apply for consideration. The new board members will attend an orientation meeting on Monday, March 3rd. ABMP will closely monitor the rule-making process and report back to members. Barbara Lis, Massage Therapist (American Massage Therapy Association member) Ann Botka, Massage Therapist (American Medical Massage Association member)

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