MASSAGE THERAPIST LICENSING

House Bill 5001 (H-1 Substitute, as adopted by committee)

Sponsor:  Rep. Dan Lauwers

Committee:  Regulatory Reform

Complete to 12-8-15

SUMMARY:

House Bill 5001 would amend Section 17959 of the Public Health Code to increase educational requirements an individual must meet in order to be licensed as a massage therapist. The bill would take effect 90 days after it is enacted into law.

Presently, an individual must either complete a supervised curriculum in a school massage education program that has at least 500 hours of classroom instruction OR complete at least 500 hours of course and clinical massage education in a substantially equivalent program in another state, county, jurisdiction, territory, or providence that, on a case-by-case basis, is found by the Michigan board of massage therapy to be sufficient.

Under the bill, an individual who was enrolled in a massage education program before August 1, 2016 500 hours of classroom instruction, and an individual who was enrolled in a massage education program on or after August 1, 2016 would have to successfully complete a program that includes at least 625 hours.

The same increase in hours would apply to an individual who completed an acceptable "substantially equivalent program" outside of Michigan.

The bill also would strike a current requirement that to be licensed as a massage therapist an individual must have a high school diploma or equivalent.

MCL 333.17959

FISCAL IMPACT:

House Bill 5001 (H-1) would have no fiscal impact on the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA).

                                                                                        Legislative Analyst:   Josh Roesner

                                                                                                Fiscal Analyst:   Paul B.A. Holland

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.