MD
Maryland Senate Bill SB217

Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB217 Compare Versions

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1- WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 32
21
3-– 1 –
4-Chapter 32
5-(Senate Bill 217)
62
7-AN ACT concerning
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+ *sb0217*
89
9-Health Occupations Boards – Membership Alteration and Sunset Extensions
10+SENATE BILL 217
11+J2 5lr0267
12+ (PRE–FILED) CF HB 256
13+By: Chair, Finance Committee (By Request – Departmental – Health)
14+Requested: October 6, 2024
15+Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
16+Assigned to: Finance
17+Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
18+Senate action: Adopted
19+Read second time: January 29, 2025
1020
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 A nalyst Advisory
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+CHAPTER ______
2122
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)
23+AN ACT concerning 1
2724
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)
25+Health Occupations Boards – Membership Alteration and Sunset Extensions 2
3326
34- SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
35-That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
27+FOR the purpose of continuing the State Board of Examiners for Audiologists, Hearing Aid 3
28+Dispensers, Speech–Language Pathologists, and Music Therapists, the State Board 4
29+of Massage Therapy Examiners, the State Board of Pharmacy, the State Board of 5
30+Professional Counselors and Therapists, and the Behavior Analyst Advisory 6
31+Committee within the State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists in 7
32+accordance with the provisions of the Maryland Program Evaluation Act (sunset law) 8
33+by extending to a certain date the termination provisions relating to the statutory 9
34+and regulatory authority of the boards and Committee; altering the membership of 10
35+the State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners; and generally relating to the health 11
36+occupations boards. 12
3637
37-Article – Health Occupations
38+BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 13
39+ Article – Health Occupations 14
40+ Section 2–201, 6–201, 6–202(b), 12–201, 17–201, and 17–6A–05 15
41+ Annotated Code of Maryland 16
42+ (2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 17
3843
39-2–201.
44+BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 18
45+ Article – Health Occupations 19
46+ Section 2–502, 6–202(a), 6–602, 12–802, 17–6A–31, and 17–702 20
47+ Annotated Code of Maryland 21
48+ (2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 22 2 SENATE BILL 217
4049
41- There is a State Board of Examiners for Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispensers,
42-Speech–Language Pathologists, and Music Therapists in the Department.
4350
44-2–502.
4551
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. 32 2025 LAWS OF MARYLAND
52+ SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
53+That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
5054
51-– 2 –
52-6–201.
55+Article – Health Occupations 3
5356
54- There is a State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners in the Department.
57+2–201. 4
5558
56-6–202.
59+ There is a State Board of Examiners for Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispensers, 5
60+Speech–Language Pathologists, and Music Therapists in the Department. 6
5761
58- (a) (1) The Board consists of [seven] NINE members.
62+2–502. 7
5963
60- (2) Of the [seven] NINE Board members:
64+ Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of the Maryland Program 8
65+Evaluation Act, this title and all rules and regulations adopted under this title shall 9
66+terminate and be of no effect after July 1, [2026] 2031. 10
6167
62- (i) [Five] SIX shall be licensed massage therapists; and
68+6–201. 11
6369
64- (ii) [Two] THREE shall be consumer members.
70+ There is a State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners in the Department. 12
6571
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.
72+6–202. 13
7173
72- (ii) The number of names on the list shall be five times the number
73-of vacancies.
74+ (a) (1) The Board consists of [seven] NINE members. 14
7475
75- (iii) The list shall include the name of the incumbent member unless
76-the incumbent member declines renomination.
76+ (2) Of the [seven] NINE Board members: 15
7777
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.
78+ (i) [Five] SIX shall be licensed massage therapists; and 16
8079
81- (b) (1) Each licensed massage therapist member shall be:
80+ (ii) [Two] THREE shall be consumer members. 17
8281
83- (i) A resident of the State;
82+ (3) (i) The Governor shall appoint the licensed massage therapist 18
83+members with the advice of the Secretary, and the advice and consent of the Senate of 19
84+Maryland, from a list of names of qualified individuals submitted to the Secretary and the 20
85+Governor by an association that represents at least 250 licensed massage therapists in the 21
86+State. 22
8487
85- (ii) A licensed massage therapist of integrity and ability who is in
86-active practice;
88+ (ii) The number of names on the list shall be five times the number 23
89+of vacancies. 24
8790
88- (iii) A graduate of a Board–approved program in massage therapy;
89-and
91+ (iii) The list shall include the name of the incumbent member unless 25
92+the incumbent member declines renomination. 26
9093
91- (iv) An individual who has practiced massage therapy in the State
92-for at least 5 consecutive years before appointment.
94+ (4) The Governor shall appoint the consumer members with the advice of 27
95+the Secretary and the advice and consent of the Senate of Maryland. 28
9396
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. 32
97+ (b) (1) Each licensed massage therapist member shall be: 29 SENATE BILL 217 3
9898
99-– 3 –
10099
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.
104100
105-6–602.
101+ (i) A resident of the State; 1
106102
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.
103+ (ii) A licensed massage therapist of integrity and ability who is in 2
104+active practice; 3
110105
111-12–201.
106+ (iii) A graduate of a Board–approved program in massage therapy; 4
107+and 5
112108
113- There is a State Board of Pharmacy in the Department.
109+ (iv) An individual who has practiced massage therapy in the State 6
110+for at least 5 consecutive years before appointment. 7
114111
115-12–802.
112+ (2) (i) In this paragraph, “good standing” means that the Board has not 8
113+reprimanded the licensed massage therapist, suspended or revoked the license of the 9
114+licensed massage therapist, or placed the licensed massage therapist on probation within 10
115+5 years before or after confirmation to the Board. 11
116116
117- Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of the MARYLAND
118-Program Evaluation Act, this title and all rules and regulations adopted under this title
119-shall terminate and be of no effect after July 1, [2025] 2030.
117+ (ii) In addition to the requirements of paragraph (1) of this 12
118+subsection, each licensed massage therapy member of the Board shall be in good standing 13
119+with the Board. 14
120120
121-17–201.
121+6–602. 15
122122
123- There is a State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists.
123+ Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of the Maryland Program 16
124+Evaluation Act, this title and all regulations adopted under this title shall terminate and 17
125+be of no effect after July 1, [2026] 2031. 18
124126
125-17–6A–05.
127+12–201. 19
126128
127- There is a Behavior Analyst Advisory Committee within the Board.
129+ There is a State Board of Pharmacy in the Department. 20
128130
129-17–6A–31.
131+12–802. 21
130132
131- Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of the Maryland Program
132-Evaluation Act, this subtitle and all rules and regulations adopted under this subtitle shall
133-terminate and be of no effect after July 1, [2026] 2031 2028.
133+ Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of the MARYLAND 22
134+Program Evaluation Act, this title and all rules and regulations adopted under this title 23
135+shall terminate and be of no effect after July 1, [2025] 2030. 24
134136
135-17–702.
137+17–201. 25
136138
137- Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of the Maryland Program
138-Evaluation Act, this title and all rules or regulations adopted under this title shall
139-terminate and be of no effect after July 1, [2026] 2031 2028.
139+ There is a State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists. 26
140140
141- SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That notwithstanding § 6 –202(f)(1)
142-of the Health Occupations Article, the initial terms of the additional members of the State
143-Board of Massage Therapy Examiners appointed under § 6 –202(a) of the Health
144-Occupations Article, as enacted by Section 1 of this Act, shall expire in 2030.
145- Ch. 32 2025 LAWS OF MARYLAND
141+17–6A–05. 27
146142
147-– 4 –
148- SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June
149-1, 2025.
143+ There is a Behavior Analyst Advisory Committee within the Board. 28
150144
151-Approved by the Governor, April 8, 2025.
145+17–6A–31. 29
146+ 4 SENATE BILL 217
147+
148+
149+ Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of the Maryland Program 1
150+Evaluation Act, this subtitle and all rules and regulations adopted under this subtitle shall 2
151+terminate and be of no effect after July 1, [2026] 2031 2028. 3
152+
153+17–702. 4
154+
155+ Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of the Maryland Program 5
156+Evaluation Act, this title and all rules or regulations adopted under this title shall 6
157+terminate and be of no effect after July 1, [2026] 2031 2028. 7
158+
159+ SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That notwithstanding § 6 –202(f)(1) 8
160+of the Health Occupations Article, the initial terms of the additional members of the State 9
161+Board of Massage Therapy Examiners appointed under § 6–202(a) of the Health 10
162+Occupations Article, as enacted by Section 1 of this Act, shall expire in 2030. 11
163+
164+ SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 12
165+1, 2025. 13
166+
167+
168+
169+
170+
171+Approved:
172+________________________________________________________________________________
173+ Governor.
174+________________________________________________________________________________
175+ President of the Senate.
176+________________________________________________________________________________
177+ Speaker of the House of Delegates.