ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-sixth Legislature

First Regular Session

HB 2172: massage therapy; communication proficiency; repeal

Sponsor: Representative Longdon, LD 5

Committee on Regulatory Affairs

Overview

Removes the requirement that the Board of Massage Therapy (the Board) have rules for licensure requiring communication proficiency for health and safety in massage therapy.

History

The Board licenses and regulates massage therapists (A.R.S. § 32-4203). The practice of massage therapy is defined as the application of massage therapy to an individual for a fee or other consideration. This does not include medical diagnosis, medical procedures, naturopathic manipulative medicine, osteopathic manipulative medicine and chiropractic adjustive procedures, the prescription of medicine or the use of medical modalities requiring an alternative license to practice (A.R.S. § 32-4201).

The Board requires the submission of select direct source documents for initial applicants, which are documents that cannot be submitted by the applicant and must be received directly from the issuing agency/entity. These documents consist of:

1) academic transcripts from each Board-recognized school;

2) written verification of a passing score on the Board Certification in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (BCTMB) or the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) exams;

3) completed license verification if from or each jurisdiction the applicant has ever held or currently holds a massage therapy or bodywork license; and

4) scores earned on either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) exam if the applicant's native language is not English (Arizona State Board of Massage Therapy – Initial Application).

Provisions

1. Strikes the requirement that the Board of Massage Therapy must adopt rules for licensure involving communication proficiency relating to protecting the health and safety in the practice of massage therapy. (Sec. 1)

2. Makes technical changes. (Sec. 1)

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6. HB 2172

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