Assigned to HHS AS PASSED BY COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
AMENDED
FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1656
massage therapy; continuation; study committee
Purpose
Continues the Board of Massage Therapy (Board) for two years. Establishes the Board of
Massage Therapy Continuation Study Committee (Committee) to review the Board and create a
report detailing recommendations for the Board.
Background
The Board is the regulatory body that oversees the licensing and practice of massage
therapy in Arizona. The Board's duties include: 1) evaluating and licensing qualified applicants;
2) establishing education and examination requirements for licensees and applicants; 3) regulating
the practice of massage therapy and adopting and enforcing rules for ethical and professional
conduct of licensees; 4) maintaining a current list of all licensees; 5) publishing final disciplinary
actions taken against a licensee; and 6) entering into contracts to enforce massage therapy
regulations (A.R.S. § 32-4203).
The Board consists of five members appointed by the Governor, including two licensed
massage therapists and three public members who are unaffiliated with any health care profession. One
public member must be actively involved in programs that help reduce or prevent human trafficking.
All Board members must be residents of Arizona and the licensed members must have been
practicing in Arizona for at least five years immediately before appointment (A.R.S. § 32-4202).
The Senate Health and Human Services and House Health and Human Services Committee
of Reference (COR) held a public meeting on January 17,2025, to review and evaluate the Board's
24 month follow up to the sunset review and receive public testimony. The COR recommended
that the Board be consolidated and statutory changes be made to improve the Board's ability to
efficiently and accurately perform their duties as prescribed by law (COR Minutes). The Board is
set to terminate on July 1, 2025, unless continued by the Legislature (A.R.S. § 41-3025.10).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
Study Committee
1. Establishes the Committee consisting of:
a) three members of the Senate who are appointed by the President of the Senate (President),
no more than two of whom are members of the same political party, with one member
designated as co-chair of the committee; FACT SHEET – Amended
S.B. 1656
Page 2
b) three members of the House of Representatives who are appointed by the Speaker of the
House of Representatives (Speaker of the House), not more than two of whom are members
of the same political party, with one member designated as co-chair of the committee;
c) the Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Boards and Commissions, or the
Executive Director's designee;
d) the Executive Director of the Board, or the Executive Director's designee;
e) a representative of private postsecondary schools, appointed by the Speaker of the House;
f) a representative of a state or national massage therapy association, appointed by the
President;
g) a representative of law enforcement, appointed by the President; and
h) a representative of a national association of massage therapy licensing boards and agencies
with a primary interest in public and consumer protection, appointed by the President.
2. Specifies that Committee members are not eligible to receive compensation but are eligible to
receive reimbursement of expenses.
3. Requires the Committee to study the Board and make recommendations regarding:
a) whether the Board should continue in its current form, remain a stand-alone health board
or be combined with an existing board;
b) Arizona's role in expediting background checks;
c) whether the Board's information technology project implemented in February 2025, is
sufficient to deal with existing issues; and
d) whether an establishment license should be required in Arizona as a tool to eliminate sex
trafficking.
4. Requires the Committee to collect:
a) comparable data points between any previous technology and the new technology solution
implemented in February 2025; and
b) feedback from stakeholders, licensed massage therapists throughout Arizona, local law
enforcement agencies and victim services advocates to make any recommended changes
to the structure of the Board or to implement any additional licensure types.
5. Requires the Committee to submit a report detailing the Committee's recommendations for the
Board to the President, Speaker of the House and Secretary of State by December 31, 2026.
6. Repeals the Committee July 1, 2027.
Board Continuation
7. Continues, retroactive to July 1, 2025, the Board until July 1, 2027.
8. Repeals the Board on January 1, 2028.
Miscellaneous
9. Contains a purpose statement.
10. Becomes effective on signature of the Governor, if the emergency clause is enacted , with a
retroactive provision as noted.
FACT SHEET – Amended
S.B. 1656
Page 3
Amendments Adopted by the Health and Human Services Committee
1. Expands the Committee's membership to include a:
a) representative of law enforcement, appointed by the President; and
b) representative of a national association of massage therapy licensing boards and agencies
with a primary interest in public and consumer protection, appointed by the President.
2. Reduces, from three to two, the number of years in which the Board is continued.
3. Adds an emergency clause.
4. Makes technical changes.
Senate Action
HHS 2/19/25 DPA 7-0-0
Prepared by Senate Research
February 21, 2025
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