FSMTA is currently watching the status of the following bills:
HB1381 and SB1600: Interstate Mobility
Requires respective boards of occupations, or DBPR if there is no board, to allow licensure by endorsement if applicant meets certain criteria.
CS/HB197 and SB 896: Health Care Practitioners and Massage Therapy
Requires DOH to report specified data; authorizes DOH to suspend license of certain health care practitioners & massage establishments in certain circumstances; revises advertising requirements for massage therapists & massage establishments; prohibits establishments from sheltering or harboring, or being used as sleeping quarters for any person; requires DOH investigators to request government identification from all employees while in massage establishment; specifies additional documents person operating massage establishment must present, upon request, to DOH investigators & law enforcement officers; requires DOH to notify federal immigration office if specified persons fail to provide government identification; revises definition of “unlicensed massage establishment”.
While not sponsored by FSMTA, we provided input before CS/HB197 was filed. Provisions in these bills can help law enforcement and Investigative Services do their job and more effectively address Illicit Massage Businesses (licensed and unlicensed).
On January 10, 2024, the Florida Board of Massage Therapy (FL BOMT) held a workshop to discuss increasing the minimum classroom hours required for licensure.
At the FL Board of Massage Therapy in-person meeting on January 26, 2024, numerous Massage Therapy School representatives were in attendance as the FL BOMT continued their discussion regarding increasing classroom hours. A range of 625 – 650 hours will be considered and a determination could be made as soon as the next meeting on March 20, 2024.
FSMTA would like to assist the FL Board of Massage Therapy by providing as much information as possible. Please take a moment and complete this survey.
https://forms.gle/f5EwgadiVu8LfLTe9
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at [email protected]