SD Bill Signed into Law, Changes Will Benefit LMT’s

As we discussed in our last legislative update, HB 1126 initially proposed to repeal South Dakota’s Massage Therapy Act. However, a compromise amendment was achieved which deleted the repeal language and instead made several improvements to the massage law, including:

• Removing the requirement that schools must be accredited by a US Department of Education recognized accrediting agency by July 1, 2014 in order to be recognized by the Board.
• Improving reciprocity/endorsement licensing requirements for those moving to South Dakota.
• Improving the renewal process and adding a grace period for licensees who renew within 30 days of expiration.
• Requiring eight (8) hours of continuing education and allowing all 8 hours to be obtained online if the licensee chooses.
• Setting a minimum professional liability insurance coverage limit of no less than two hundred fifty thousand dollars per occurrence instead of allowing the Board to determine limits by rule. Liability insurance coverage included in your ABMP membership far exceeds this amount.

ABMP was in favor of the proposed amendment, and we are now pleased to report that the final enrolled bill was signed into law by Governor Daugaard on March 14, 2013. We thank those of you who contacted your legislators to voice your support for the bill. ABMP will attempt to assist the Board in developing rules which might better accommodate those license applicants who graduated from schools which are now closed.