Recent News and Legislative Updates

MI update on March 5th Public Hearing

03/19/2012

To: Michigan ABMP members From: Jean Robinson, government relations director RE: March 5, 2012 public hearing regarding the proposed administrative rules to implement massage therapy licensing. Applications for licensing are NOT available yet. They probably won’t be available until the fall at the earliest. There is no action for you to take at this time. This is simply an update.

Tennessee Legislative Update

03/15/2012

House bill 2387, the bill currently before the state legislature that previously sought to move the classification of massage therapy from the Department of Health Related Boards and place it under the Department of Commerce and Insurance, has now been amended to remove all references to the massage therapy profession.

Florida Insurance Bill Discontinues Coverage of Massage Therapy

03/14/2012

Florida House Bill 119, into which Senate Bill 1860 was merged, would reform Motor Vehicle Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance in Florida. The PIP reform bill eliminates coverage for massage therapy and acupuncture. The bill passed both houses of the Florida legislature and is expected to be signed into law by Governor Rick Scott. Scott pledged to make PIP reform his primary focus of the legislative session.

Utah Bill Would Include "non-touch" as Massage

03/09/2012

House Bill 114, Sponsored by Representative Tim Cosgrove (D-Murray), would amend the state’s Massage Therapy Act to close a perceived loophole that allows for unsavory purveyors to trade under the name of massage. The primary changes in the law would be to:
  • Remove the definition of the word “manipulation,” which is defined as “physical contact, with movement, on the clothed or unclothed body”; and

Idaho Bill Would Regulate Massage Therapists

02/03/2012

A bill, sponsored by Senator Hammond, will be introduced in the Idaho Senate early next week. If passed, the bill would require massage therapists to become licensed by the state and establish a Board of Massage Therapy to implement the process. The bill would set minimum training requirements, define a scope of practice, provide an avenue for consumer complaint, and pre-empt local regulations. Generous grandfathering requirements for current practitioners

Iowa Bill would alter massage licensing education requirements

02/02/2012

House Bill 2126, sponsored by Representative Matt W. Windschitl (R-District 56), is described as “an act relating to the education requirements of massage therapists.” The bill as currently drafted eliminates the education requirements for Iowa massage licensing; however, ABMP has learned that the current form of the bill is a draft and that the intent is to replace the education hours requirement (currently at 600) with language that would identify credits or competencies as the educational requirements.

Kansas Bill Would Require Licensing of Massage Therapists

02/02/2012

House Bill 2564, which has been introduced in the Kansas Legislature, would require massage therapists to become licensed for the purpose of protecting the public and ensuring that the standards of practice in the field are protected and preserved.  If passed, the bill would require massage therapists to become licensed by the state under the Kansas Board of Healing Arts (Board), and would establish a Massage Therapy Advisory Council to advise the Board in carrying out the provisions of the Act.

Bill Would Change Administrative Oversight of Tennessee State Massage Board

01/25/2012

House bill 2387, sponsored by Representative McCormick, would change the administrative department overseeing the massage regulatory program. On page 5 of the bill, Sections 11 and 12 would relocate Title 63-18, which is the Massage Licensure Act of 1995, from the Department of Health Related Boards (DHRB) to the Department of Commerce and Insurance (DCI).

VA Bill Would Change Regulation of Massage Therapists

01/25/2012

House Bill 543 was introduced on January 11, 2012. As proposed, the bill would amend several different Virginia laws, including the regulation of massage therapists. Massage therapy is currently a certified profession under the Board of Nursing. The certification includes title protection but not a well-defined scope of practice. HB 543 would define the scope of practice for massage therapists and create a mandatory practice act. Anyone practicing massage therapy would have to be licensed by the State Board of Nursing.

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