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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2457 FILED ON: 1/17/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 282 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Jacob R. Oliveira |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act relative to continuing education requirements for licensed massage therapists. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Jacob R. OliveiraHampden, Hampshire and Worcester 1 of 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2457 FILED ON: 1/17/2025 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 282 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Mr. Oliveira, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 282) of Jacob R. Oliveira for |
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| 19 | 19 | | legislation relative to continuing education requirements for licensed massage therapists. |
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| 20 | 20 | | Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. |
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| 21 | 21 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 22 | 22 | | _______________ |
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| 23 | 23 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 25 | 25 | | _______________ |
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| 26 | 26 | | An Act relative to continuing education requirements for licensed massage therapists. |
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| 27 | 27 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 28 | 28 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 29 | 29 | | 1 Chapter 112 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby |
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| 30 | 30 | | 2amended by inserting after Section 228 subsection (b) the following section:- |
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| 31 | 31 | | 3 (c) In addition to the requirements of subsection (a), licensed massage therapists must |
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| 32 | 32 | | 4complete continuing education as a condition of license renewal. Such continuing education shall |
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| 33 | 33 | | 5meet the following requirements: |
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| 34 | 34 | | 6 (1) Complete 20 hours of continuing education every two years, including: (i) Two (2) |
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| 35 | 35 | | 7hours on ethics in massage therapy, completed in person; (ii) One (1) hour on Massachusetts |
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| 36 | 36 | | 8massage therapy laws and rules, which may be completed online or in person; (iii) Up to six (6) |
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| 37 | 37 | | 9hours of continuing education may be completed online or through home study courses; and (iv) |
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| 38 | 38 | | 10The remaining hours must be completed in person through live classes or webinars. |
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| 39 | 39 | | 11 (2) Continuing education courses must be: (i) Approved by the National Certification |
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| 40 | 40 | | 12Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB); or (ii) Offered by a provider 2 of 2 |
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| 41 | 41 | | 13approved by the Board of Registration of Massage Therapy of the Commonwealth of |
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| 42 | 42 | | 14Massachusetts. |
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| 43 | 43 | | 15 (3) Licensed massage therapists must retain documentation of completed continuing |
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| 44 | 44 | | 16education hours for a minimum of four (4) years and provide such documentation to the Board |
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| 45 | 45 | | 17upon request. |
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| 46 | 46 | | 18 (4) At the time of renewal, licensed massage therapists shall attest to the completion of |
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| 47 | 47 | | 19required continuing education hours and to holding current certification in cardiopulmonary |
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| 48 | 48 | | 20resuscitation (CPR) and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED). |
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| 49 | 49 | | 21 (5) Licenses shall expire on November 30 of even-numbered years. Failure to complete |
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| 50 | 50 | | 22the continuing education requirements or to provide attestation of CPR and AED certification by |
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| 51 | 51 | | 23the renewal deadline shall result in nonrenewal of the license until compliance is demonstrated. |
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