03/18/2016
Currently, Oklahoma is one of only five states in the country that does not regulate massage therapists. Bills have been introduced in past years proposing to regulate massage therapists in Oklahoma, but none have succeeded in the legislature. Oklahoma Senate Bill 687, introduced this legislative session, once again proposes state regulation of massage therapists in Oklahoma by a system of mandatory licensing. If passed, all massage therapists in Oklahoma would be required to hold a state license in order to practice.
ABMP will be submitting our written comments to the key legislators communicating that ABMP can support the bill only if important changes are made. Among other problems, the bill does not contain a grandfathering provision which would allow existing practitioners to obtain a license based on their professional experience without meeting the bill’s requirements for massage education hours and massage exam passage. Second, the bill requires applicants to pass an exam which itself requires 750 hours of education, even though no such national exam actually exists, and a 750-hour educational requirement is too high. Finally, the bill was recently amended so as to place regulation of massage under the state Cosmetology Board. Cosmetology is an entirely distinct field which does not involve or address the issues specific to the massage therapy profession, and placement of massage under the Cosmetology Board would be a mistake. It is ABMP’s position that the bill must be amended to remedy these and other defects.
The bill passed through the Senate and is currently before the House Budget and Appropriations Committee. We will keep you apprised of the status of the bill.