Legislative Advocacy for Massage Therapists and Bodyworkers

group of people in discussion

ABMP’s Government Relations Department advocates on behalf of our members for reasonable regulation of the massage therapy profession in all 50 states. We keep our members informed about proposed legislation and regulations and let them know how to get involved in the process and have their voices heard.

Click on one of the links below for more information. You can always get in touch with ABMP’s Government Relations team at gr@abmp.com to let us know what regulation-related issues are concerning you, and also what’s working. Tell us what you’re hearing in your state, city, or town regarding massage legislation and regulation, past, present, or future. Let us know if we can help advocate on your behalf.

 

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News

West Virginia Bill Impacts Massage Establishments

Senate Bill 786 impacts massage establishment licensing, emergency suspension orders, and inspections. ABMP details how the bill may affect you and your business in this legislative web post.

Tennessee Increases Minimum Education Hours

On April 16, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed into law House Bill 1610 and Senate Bill 1588, increasing the minimum massage curriculum hours that an applicant for massage licensure must complete at an approved school for massage, bodywork, or somatic therapy to be eligible for licensure under the Massage Licensure Act. Find out the new state minimum requirement.

Alaska Massage Board Remains Independent and Autonomous

Executive Order No. 129 sought to dissolve the Alaska Board of Massage Therapists and transfer its functions to the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED). The executive order was successfully overturned.

Blog

Avoid Pulling Clients' Hair

Massage therapy students practicing in a classroom.

It’s the finer details that matter in a massage therapy session, and unintentional hair pulling is a detail that carries more weight than you might think.

Benefits

Podcast: Cancer, Clots, and COVID—A Complicated Client

A client was recently treated for colon cancer—and it didn’t go well. She had surgical complications, a bout of sepsis, and more. Is massage therapy safe? We discuss on this episode of “I Have a Client Who . . .” Pathology Conversations with Ruth Werner.

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