OR Bill to Regulate Massage Facilities Favorably Amended

If passed, Senate Bill 387 would require that “massage facilities,” meaning any “facility where a person engages in the practice of massage,” obtain a massage facility permit from the Oregon Board of Massage Therapists in order to operate. This requirement would not apply to licensed massage schools or to individual massage therapists working out of their homes. In addition, the bill was amended on March 1^st to exclude all clinics or facilities owned or operated by a person regulated by a health professional regulatory board from obtaining a facility permit as well. This means that massage facilities that are owned or operated by licensed massage therapists (or other health professionals listed here) will not be required to obtain a facility permit. Only facilities owned or operated by people who are not licensed massage therapists (or other licensed health professionals) will be required to obtain a facility permit. ABMP is very supportive of exempting licensed health professionals from the facility permit requirement. The Board of Massage Therapists believes that regulating facilities will help combat the serious problem of human trafficking in Oregon by giving the Board the authority to discipline establishment owners operating illicit businesses under the guise of massage and providing a tool for law enforcement in shutting those businesses down. ABMP expected the Board to exempt licensed health professionals by rule, but it is more appropriate that they are clearly exempt by statute.