EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*sb0217*
SENATE BILL 217
J2 5lr0267
(PRE–FILED) CF HB 256
By: Chair, Finance Committee (By Request – Departmental – Health)
Requested: October 6, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Finance
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: January 29, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Health Occupations Boards – Membership Alteration and Sunset Extensions 2
FOR the purpose of continuing the State Board of Examiners for Audiologists, Hearing Aid 3
Dispensers, Speech–Language Pathologists, and Music Therapists, the State Board 4
of Massage Therapy Examiners, the State Board of Pharmacy, the State Board of 5
Professional Counselors and Therapists, and the Behavior Analyst Advisory 6
Committee within the State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists in 7
accordance with the provisions of the Maryland Program Evaluation Act (sunset law) 8
by extending to a certain date the termination provisions relating to the statutory 9
and regulatory authority of the boards and Committee; altering the membership of 10
the State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners; and generally relating to the health 11
occupations boards. 12
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 13
Article – Health Occupations 14
Section 2–201, 6–201, 6–202(b), 12–201, 17–201, and 17–6A–05 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 17
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 18
Article – Health Occupations 19
Section 2–502, 6–202(a), 6–602, 12–802, 17–6A–31, and 17–702 20
Annotated Code of Maryland 21
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 22 2 SENATE BILL 217
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Health Occupations 3
2–201. 4
There is a State Board of Examiners for Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispensers, 5
Speech–Language Pathologists, and Music Therapists in the Department. 6
2–502. 7
Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of the Maryland Program 8
Evaluation Act, this title and all rules and regulations adopted under this title shall 9
terminate and be of no effect after July 1, [2026] 2031. 10
6–201. 11
There is a State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners in the Department. 12
6–202. 13
(a) (1) The Board consists of [seven] NINE members. 14
(2) Of the [seven] NINE Board members: 15
(i) [Five] SIX shall be licensed massage therapists; and 16
(ii) [Two] THREE shall be consumer members. 17
(3) (i) The Governor shall appoint the licensed massage therapist 18
members with the advice of the Secretary, and the advice and consent of the Senate of 19
Maryland, from a list of names of qualified individuals submitted to the Secretary and the 20
Governor by an association that represents at least 250 licensed massage therapists in the 21
State. 22
(ii) The number of names on the list shall be five times the number 23
of vacancies. 24
(iii) The list shall include the name of the incumbent member unless 25
the incumbent member declines renomination. 26
(4) The Governor shall appoint the consumer members with the advice of 27
the Secretary and the advice and consent of the Senate of Maryland. 28
(b) (1) Each licensed massage therapist member shall be: 29 SENATE BILL 217 3
(i) A resident of the State; 1
(ii) A licensed massage therapist of integrity and ability who is in 2
active practice; 3
(iii) A graduate of a Board–approved program in massage therapy; 4
and 5
(iv) An individual who has practiced massage therapy in the State 6
for at least 5 consecutive years before appointment. 7
(2) (i) In this paragraph, “good standing” means that the Board has not 8
reprimanded the licensed massage therapist, suspended or revoked the license of the 9
licensed massage therapist, or placed the licensed massage therapist on probation within 10
5 years before or after confirmation to the Board. 11
(ii) In addition to the requirements of paragraph (1) of this 12
subsection, each licensed massage therapy member of the Board shall be in good standing 13
with the Board. 14
6–602. 15
Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of the Maryland Program 16
Evaluation Act, this title and all regulations adopted under this title shall terminate and 17
be of no effect after July 1, [2026] 2031. 18
12–201. 19
There is a State Board of Pharmacy in the Department. 20
12–802. 21
Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of the MARYLAND 22
Program Evaluation Act, this title and all rules and regulations adopted under this title 23
shall terminate and be of no effect after July 1, [2025] 2030. 24
17–201. 25
There is a State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists. 26
17–6A–05. 27
There is a Behavior Analyst Advisory Committee within the Board. 28
17–6A–31. 29
4 SENATE BILL 217
Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of the Maryland Program 1
Evaluation Act, this subtitle and all rules and regulations adopted under this subtitle shall 2
terminate and be of no effect after July 1, [2026] 2031 2028. 3
17–702. 4
Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of the Maryland Program 5
Evaluation Act, this title and all rules or regulations adopted under this title shall 6
terminate and be of no effect after July 1, [2026] 2031 2028. 7
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That notwithstanding § 6 –202(f)(1) 8
of the Health Occupations Article, the initial terms of the additional members of the State 9
Board of Massage Therapy Examiners appointed under § 6–202(a) of the Health 10
Occupations Article, as enacted by Section 1 of this Act, shall expire in 2030. 11
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 12
1, 2025. 13
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.