2023 Highlights from the ABMP Government Relations Team

The US Capitol and the year 2023 next to it.

The ABMP Government Relations team had a busy year advocating for members and the massage and bodywork profession as a whole. Here are the team’s legislative highlights from 2023: 

  • Supported the Interstate Massage Compact that was introduced in the following states: Georgia, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Washington, and Wisconsin (Nevada signed the compact bill into law) 
  • Championed massage licensing efforts in Minnesota (Senate File 967 and House File 973) and Kansas (Senate Bill 305) 
  • Defended the protection of the MBLEx as the national massage therapy licensing testing standard 
  • Opposed massage establishment licensure to avoid double licensing in numerous states, including New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia 
  • Advocated for changes in June regarding proposed Gainful Employment rules; encouraged schools to push for change once final rules were released in October that amended the “150%” Rule, jeopardizing student access to federal aid 

Topics Anticipated for 2024:  

  • Supporting licensure bills 
  • Backing massage compact bills
  • Protecting entry-level examination
  • Advocating for reasonable education hours 

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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.

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