SB 364 Amendment to Massage Law

A proposed amendment to the Massage Therapy Practice Act has been drafted and proposed by Senator Staton of the Macon area.  The amendment is identified as Senate Bill 364 (SB364).  The amendment has three impact changes proposed.  The first point is to provide for provisions to suspend a license and for reinstatement.  The second point is to provide for specific penalties for violation of the law.  Thirdly, to provide for language to encourage local regulation of massage related businesses, as the state regulates the Massage Therapist. 

The current massage law does not have specific penalties such as misdemeanors or felony for licensed and unlicensed individuals for violating advertising and practice requirements covered under the law.  Many local governments do not understand their ability to regulate for inappropriate businesses that disguise themselves under some types of massage businesses such as Sauna’s or Spa’s.

Updated May 10, 2010

The SB 364 amendment has gone through the Senate and the House bill processes.  The final version has been approved by both and should be signed by the governor soon.  The bill has reasonable language that should help legitimate Massage Therapists be identified from those inappropriate businesses at the local level as they apply local ordinances that regulate businesses in their communities.  It is our understanding that the intent of the state and local governments is that any new local ordinances are not intended to restrict the licensed practitioners from being able to operate a massage therapy practice.  They are intended to impact the non-licensed individuals implying directly or indirectly as a massage related business.

We strongly encourage all therapists to familiarize yourself with the massage law and your local ordinances concerning business licensing.  We are aware of several counties or cities that have outdated or restrictive ordinances that treat the now state regulated profession of massage therapy as a sex trade profession.  These are the ordinances that you the legitimate Massage Therapist must address in your communities.  We are trying to provide as much information and ideas on how to deal with problem ordinances as they come up.

GR is also in the process of gathering examples of inappropriate local ordinances that adversely impact therapists by excessive fees or undue restrictions.  We want to track any negative outcomes from this amendment so it can be presented back to the state legislators.  Your participation with this is key to any actions to help our profession be properly regulated.  Someone from the Chapter is not going to come to your community to do it for you, but we are here to help as much as possible.