Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB256 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 31
2		-
3		-	– 1 –
4		-	Chapter 31
5		-	(House Bill 256)
6		-
7		-	AN ACT concerning
8		-
9		-	Health Occupations Boards – Membership Alteration and Sunset Extensions
10		-
11		-	FOR the purpose of continuing the State Board of Examiners for Audiologists, Hearing Aid
12		-	Dispensers, Speech–Language Pathologists, and Music Therapists, the State Board
13		-	of Massage Therapy Examiners, the State Board of Pharmacy, the State Board of
14		-	Professional Counselors and Therapists, and the Behavior Analyst Ad visory
15		-	Committee within the State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists in
16		-	accordance with the provisions of the Maryland Program Evaluation Act (sunset law)
17		-	by extending to a certain date the termination provisions relating to the statutory
18		-	and regulatory authority of the boards and Committee; altering the membership of
19		-	the State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners; and generally relating to the health
20		-	occupations boards.
21		-
22		-	BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
23		-	Article – Health Occupations
24		-	Section 2–201, 6–201, 6–202(b), 12–201, 17–201, and 17–6A–05
25		-	Annotated Code of Maryland
26		-	(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement)
27		-
28		-	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
29		-	Article – Health Occupations
30		-	Section 2–502, 6–202(a), 6–602, 12–802, 17–6A–31, and 17–702
31		-	Annotated Code of Maryland
32		-	(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement)
33		-
34		-	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
35		-	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
36		-
37		-	Article – Health Occupations
38		-
39		-	2–201.
40		-
41		-	There is a State Board of Examiners for Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispensers,
42		-	Speech–Language Pathologists, and Music Therapists in the Department.
43		-
44		-	2–502.
45		-
46		-	Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of the Maryland Program
47		-	Evaluation Act, this title and all rules and regulations adopted under this title shall
48		-	terminate and be of no effect after July 1, [2026] 2031.
49		-	Ch. 31 2025 LAWS OF MARYLAND
50		-
51		-	– 2 –
52		-	6–201.
53		-
54		-	There is a State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners in the Department.
55		-
56		-	6–202.
57		-
58		-	(a) (1) The Board consists of [seven] NINE members.
59		-
60		-	(2) Of the [seven] NINE Board members:
61		-
62		-	(i) [Five] SIX shall be licensed massage therapists; and
63		-
64		-	(ii) [Two] THREE shall be consumer members.
65		-
66		-	(3) (i) The Governor shall appoint the licensed massage therapist
67		-	members with the advice of the Secretary, and the advice and consent of the Senate of
68		-	Maryland, from a list of names of qualified individuals submitted to the Secretary and the
69		-	Governor by an association that represents at least 250 licensed massage therapists in the
70		-	State.
71		-
72		-	(ii) The number of names on the list shall be five times the number
73		-	of vacancies.
74		-
75		-	(iii) The list shall include the name of the incumbent member unless
76		-	the incumbent member declines renomination.
77		-
78		-	(4) The Governor shall appoint the consumer members with the advice of
79		-	the Secretary and the advice and consent of the Senate of Maryland.
80		-
81		-	(b) (1) Each licensed massage therapist member shall be:
82		-
83		-	(i) A resident of the State;
84		-
85		-	(ii) A licensed massage therapist of integrity and ability who is in
86		-	active practice;
87		-
88		-	(iii) A graduate of a Board–approved program in massage therapy;
89		-	and
90		-
91		-	(iv) An individual who has practiced massage therapy in the State
92		-	for at least 5 consecutive years before appointment.
93		-
94		-	(2) (i) In this paragraph, “good standing” means that the Board has not
95		-	reprimanded the licensed massage therapist, suspended or revoked the license of the
96		-	licensed massage therapist, or placed the licensed massage therapist on probation within
97		-	5 years before or after confirmation to the Board. WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 31
98		-
99		-	– 3 –
100		-
101		-	(ii) In addition to the requirements of paragraph (1) of this
102		-	subsection, each licensed massage therapy member of the Board shall be in good standing
103		-	with the Board.
104		-
105		-	6–602.
106		-
107		-	Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of the Maryland Program
108		-	Evaluation Act, this title and all regulations adopted under this title shall terminate and
109		-	be of no effect after July 1, [2026] 2031.
110	1
111	2
112		-	12–201.
	3	+	EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
	4	+	[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
	5	+	Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
	6	+	Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
	7	+	amendment.
	8	+	hb0256
113	9
114		-	There is a State Board of Pharmacy in the Department.
	10	+	HOUSE BILL 256
	11	+	J2 5lr0268
	12	+	(PRE–FILED) CF SB 217
	13	+	By: Chair, Health and Government Operations Committee (By Request –
	14	+	Departmental – Health)
	15	+	Requested: October 6, 2024
	16	+	Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
	17	+	Assigned to: Health and Government Operations
	18	+	Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
	19	+	House action: Adopted
	20	+	Read second time: February 11, 2025
115	21
116		-	~~12–802.~~
	22	+	CHAPTER ______
117	23
118		-	Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of the MARYLAND
119		-	Program Evaluation Act, this title and all rules and regulations adopted under this title
120		-	shall terminate and be of no effect after July 1, [2025] 2030.
	24	+	AN ACT concerning 1
121	25
122		-	17–~~201.~~
	26	+	Health Occupations Boards – Membership Alteration and Sunset Extensions 2
123	27
124		-	There is a State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists.
	28	+	FOR the purpose of continuing the State Board of Examiners for Audiologists, Hearing Aid 3
	29	+	Dispensers, Speech–Language Pathologists, and Music Therapists, the State Board 4
	30	+	of Massage Therapy Examiners, the State Board of Pharmacy, the State Board of 5
	31	+	Professional Counselors and Therapists, and the Behavior Analyst Advisory 6
	32	+	Committee within the State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists in 7
	33	+	accordance with the provisions of the Maryland Program Evaluation Act (sunset law) 8
	34	+	by extending to a certain date the termination provisions relating to the statutory 9
	35	+	and regulatory authority of the boards and Committee; altering the membership of 10
	36	+	the State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners; and generally relating to the health 11
	37	+	occupations boards. 12
125	38
126		-	17–6A–05.
	39	+	BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 13
	40	+	Article – Health Occupations 14
	41	+	Section 2–201, 6–201, 6–202(b), 12–201, 17–201, and 17–6A–05 15
	42	+	Annotated Code of Maryland 16
	43	+	(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 17
127	44
128		-	There is a Behavior Analyst Advisory Committee within the Board.
	45	+	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 18
	46	+	Article – Health Occupations 19
	47	+	Section 2–502, 6–202(a), 6–602, 12–802, 17–6A–31, and 17–702 20
	48	+	Annotated Code of Maryland 21 2 HOUSE BILL 256
129	49
130		-	17–6A–31.
131	50
132		-	Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of the Maryland Program
133		-	Evaluation Act, this subtitle and all rules and regulations adopted under this subtitle shall
134		-	terminate and be of no effect after July 1, [2026] 2031 2028.
	51	+	(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 1
135	52
136		-	17–702.
	53	+	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 2
	54	+	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 3
137	55
138		-	Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of the Maryland Program
139		-	Evaluation Act, this title and all rules or regulations adopted under this title shall
140		-	terminate and be of no effect after July 1, [2026] 2031 2028.
	56	+	Article – Health Occupations 4
141	57
142		-	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That notwithstanding § 6–202(f)(1)
143		-	of the Health Occupations Article, the initial terms of the additional members of the State
144		-	Board of Massage Therapy Examiners appointed under § 6 –202(a) of the Health
145		-	Occupations Article, as enacted by Section 1 of this Act, shall expire in 2030. Ch. 31 2025 LAWS OF MARYLAND
	58	+	2–201. 5
146	59
147		-	– 4 –
	60	+	There is a State Board of Examiners for Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispensers, 6
	61	+	Speech–Language Pathologists, and Music Therapists in the Department. 7
148	62
149		-	SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June
150		-	1, 2025.
	63	+	2–502. 8
151	64
152		-	Approved by the Governor, April 8, 2025.
	65	+	Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of the Maryland Program 9
	66	+	Evaluation Act, this title and all rules and regulations adopted under this title shall 10
	67	+	terminate and be of no effect after July 1, [2026] 2031. 11
	68	+
	69	+	6–201. 12
	70	+
	71	+	There is a State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners in the Department. 13
	72	+
	73	+	6–202. 14
	74	+
	75	+	(a) (1) The Board consists of [seven] NINE members. 15
	76	+
	77	+	(2) Of the [seven] NINE Board members: 16
	78	+
	79	+	(i) [Five] SIX shall be licensed massage therapists; and 17
	80	+
	81	+	(ii) [Two] THREE shall be consumer members. 18
	82	+
	83	+	(3) (i) The Governor shall appoint the licensed massage therapist 19
	84	+	members with the advice of the Secretary, and the advice and consent of the Senate of 20
	85	+	Maryland, from a list of names of qualified individuals submitted to the Secretary and the 21
	86	+	Governor by an association that represents at least 250 licensed massage therapists in the 22
	87	+	State. 23
	88	+
	89	+	(ii) The number of names on the list shall be five times the number 24
	90	+	of vacancies. 25
	91	+
	92	+	(iii) The list shall include the name of the incumbent member unless 26
	93	+	the incumbent member declines renomination. 27
	94	+
	95	+	(4) The Governor shall appoint the consumer members with the advice of 28
	96	+	the Secretary and the advice and consent of the Senate of Maryland. 29
	97	+	HOUSE BILL 256 3
	98	+
	99	+
	100	+	(b) (1) Each licensed massage therapist member shall be: 1
	101	+
	102	+	(i) A resident of the State; 2
	103	+
	104	+	(ii) A licensed massage therapist of integrity and ability who is in 3
	105	+	active practice; 4
	106	+
	107	+	(iii) A graduate of a Board–approved program in massage therapy; 5
	108	+	and 6
	109	+
	110	+	(iv) An individual who has practiced massage therapy in the State 7
	111	+	for at least 5 consecutive years before appointment. 8
	112	+
	113	+	(2) (i) In this paragraph, “good standing” means that the Board has not 9
	114	+	reprimanded the licensed massage therapist, suspended or revoked the license of the 10
	115	+	licensed massage therapist, or placed the licensed massage therapist on probation within 11
	116	+	5 years before or after confirmation to the Board. 12
	117	+
	118	+	(ii) In addition to the requirements of paragraph (1) of this 13
	119	+	subsection, each licensed massage therapy member of the Board shall be in good standing 14
	120	+	with the Board. 15
	121	+
	122	+	6–602. 16
	123	+
	124	+	Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of the Maryland Program 17
	125	+	Evaluation Act, this title and all regulations adopted under this title shall terminate and 18
	126	+	be of no effect after July 1, [2026] 2031. 19
	127	+
	128	+
	129	+	12–201. 20
	130	+
	131	+	There is a State Board of Pharmacy in the Department. 21
	132	+
	133	+	12–802. 22
	134	+
	135	+	Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of the MARYLAND 23
	136	+	Program Evaluation Act, this title and all rules and regulations adopted under this title 24
	137	+	shall terminate and be of no effect after July 1, [2025] 2030. 25
	138	+
	139	+	17–201. 26
	140	+
	141	+	There is a State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists. 27
	142	+
	143	+	17–6A–05. 28
	144	+
	145	+	There is a Behavior Analyst Advisory Committee within the Board. 29
	146	+	4 HOUSE BILL 256
	147	+
	148	+
	149	+	17–6A–31. 1
	150	+
	151	+	Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of the Maryland Program 2
	152	+	Evaluation Act, this subtitle and all rules and regulations adopted under this subtitle shall 3
	153	+	terminate and be of no effect after July 1, [2026] 2031 2028. 4
	154	+
	155	+	17–702. 5
	156	+
	157	+	Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of the Maryland Program 6
	158	+	Evaluation Act, this title and all rules or regulations adopted under this title shall 7
	159	+	terminate and be of no effect after July 1, [2026] 2031 2028. 8
	160	+
	161	+	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That notwithstanding § 6 –202(f)(1) 9
	162	+	of the Health Occupations Article, the initial terms of the additional members of the State 10
	163	+	Board of Massage Therapy Examiners appointed under § 6–202(a) of the Health 11
	164	+	Occupations Article, as enacted by Section 1 of this Act, shall expire in 2030. 12
	165	+
	166	+	SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 13
	167	+	1, 2025. 14
	168	+
	169	+
	170	+
	171	+
	172	+	Approved:
	173	+	________________________________________________________________________________
	174	+	Governor.
	175	+	________________________________________________________________________________
	176	+	Speaker of the House of Delegates.
	177	+	________________________________________________________________________________
	178	+	President of the Senate.