A new bill, WY S 86, has been introduced in the Wyoming State Senate which, if passed, would require that Wyoming massage therapists hold a state professional license in order to practice. Click here to read the bill. The bill is currently in the initial stages of the state legislative process and may or may not become law in Wyoming.
If passed, the bill would create a new Wyoming state board of massage therapy which would have duties including issuing licenses, establishing rules for continuing education, adopting a professional code of ethics, and investigating and disciplining license holders for violations.
Under the bill, practitioners whose practices are limited to certain modalities listed in the bill, such as Feldenkrais, Rolfing, Trager, reiki, and shiatsu, would not be required to hold a massage license.
The bill contains a grandfathering provision which would allow early applicants to qualify for a license based on either (1) 500 hours of massage education, OR (2) 300 hours of massage education plus having practiced massage for at least 3 years, average 5 hours per week, prior to the date of application, OR (3) having practiced massage for at least 5 years, average 5 hours per week, prior to the date of application. After the grandfathering period ends, all new applicants would need to have passed a board-approved massage exam and have completed 500 hours of massage education in order to qualify for a license.
ABMP is in favor of limited, reasonable state regulation of the massage profession in the interest of public safety. We do want to see a few changes in the bill and are in contact with the bill sponsor. We will keep our members apprised of developments on WY S 86 as they occur.