Indiana

Introduced on January 4, 2012, Senate Bill 10 would require a license to practice massage therapy in Indiana. Currently, although Indiana’s certification system provides that only certified massage therapists may use the phrase “massage therapy” to advertise or market the services they provide, certification is not required to practice massage therapy. If SB 10 passes, only licensed massage therapists would be allowed to practice massage therapy.

Senate Bill 500 would have changed the current state certification (title protection) of massage therapists to state licensing (mandatory practice act) and pre-empted local licensing requirements. After passing the Senate, the bill failed to advance through the House this session. ABMP was supportive of the bill.

Senate bill 500, sponsored by Sen. Landske, would change the current state certification (title protection) of massage therapists to state licensing (mandatory practice act). The bill would also prohibit local units of government from establishing or maintaining licensing requirements for massage therapists. Massage therapists would only have to obtain the state license to practice.

ABMP has been contacted by several members who have experienced frustrating delays and who have received confusing notifications during the processing of applications for certification. We have contacted the board for clarification in the hopes of making the process go more smoothly. This is a new process in Indiana and we encourage everyone to be patient.

House Bill 1573, sponsored by Representatives Welch, Brown and Dodge, would require massage therapists certified by the state to maintain liability insurance and display state certificates; it would also specify that cosmetology does not include massage therapy. The bill was referred to the Committee on Public Health but a hearing has not been scheduled. ABMP supports HB 1573. To read the entire bill, go to http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2009/PDF/HB/HB1573.2.pdf.

Applications for state certification will be available the first week of February. They will be posted on the State Board of Massage Therapy website: http://www.in.gov/pla/massage.htm State certification is a title protection act. Two titles are protected - "Certified Massage Therapist" (CMT) and "Massage Therapist"(MT). Only practitioners using these titles need to apply for state certification.

The Indiana State Board of Massage Therapy intends to hold a public hearing on the proposed rules (LSA Document #08-351 and LSA Document # 08-352) on November 14, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. in the Indiana Government Center South, Professional Licensing Agency, 402 West Washington Street Conference Room W064, Indianapolis, Indiana.

The Indiana Massage Therapy Board is in the process of writing rules and regulations, including an application process, to implement the state certification law. ABMP will let members know when applications become available.

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)

Governor Daniels signed SB 320 into law on May 9, 2007. The new law will establish a State Board of Massage Therapy and create state certification for massage therapists. The law goes into effect on July 1, 2007 and Governor Daniels will appoint board members by January 1, 2008. State certification is a title protection act. SB 320 protects only two titles, “Certified Massage Therapist” (CMT) and “Massage Therapist”(MT). Only practitioners using these two titles need to apply for state certification.