Recent News and Legislative Updates

As previously reported, ABMP recently helped develop a Sunrise Application for the state of Vermont. The sunrise process is a preliminary assessment of the massage therapy profession conducted by the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation (OPR) to determine whether, in its opinion, the profession should be regulated by the state. The OPR decision will be based purely on public safety concerns. The Sunrise Application, developed by ABMP, the Vermont Chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association (VT - AMTA), and others, will serve as a guide for the OPR assessment.

For the last few months AB 1822 has been making its way through the legislative process. In its original form, the bill would have significantly gutted the authority of the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) and the certification process enacted under SB 731 (Oropeza) in 2008. In its current form, the bill would provide both the California Police Chiefs Association and the California State Sheriffs’ Association with the ability to appoint a person to the CAMTC board of directors. The bill has passed the General Assembly.

Governor David Paterson signed SB 5431 into law on August 30, 2010 after the bill was rushed through the legislature. The law will require massage therapists to complete 36 hours of continuing education during each triennial registration period. Of this, a maximum of twelve hours may be self-instruction. Licensees will have to complete a prorated number of continuing education requirements in the first triennial registration period. Licensees could be granted an exemption by the department for reasons of hardship or military service.