Wisconsin Considers Amending the Regulation of Massage Therapists and Bodyworkers

Assembly bill 588, sponsored by Representative Berceau, would make a number of changes to the regulation of massage and bodywork therapists. Under current law, a person who is not certified as a massage therapist or bodyworker by the Department of Regulations and Licensing may not designate himself/herself as a massage therapist or bodyworker. AB 588 would make it mandatory for massage and bodywork therapists to be licensed by the state in order to practice.

If passed, the bill would also create a Massage Therapy and Bodywork Therapy Examining Board to implement the law. The board would have seven members: one public member, one member representing private vocational schools, one member representing technical colleges, and the remaining four members would be massage or bodywork therapists.

The bill would allow existing practitioners to qualify for a license to practice without meeting the education or exam requirement by meeting one of the following requirements:

1. The person was actively engaged in the practice of massage or bodywork therapy for at least 10 years.
2. The person passed a nationally administered entry-level competency assessment examination that meets generally accepted psychometric principles and standards.
3. The person was actively engaged in the practice of massage or bodywork therapy by practicing an average of 10 hours per week for at least 3 years and has successfully completed a 200 hour massage program approved by the board.
4. At least 180 days before the effective date of this Act, the person graduated from a massage or bodywork program of at least 600 hours.

The bill would exempt reflexologists and movement educators from having to obtain a license; practitioners of these practices would be able to use the term "bodyworker."

The bill was heard on December 2, 2009 by the Wisconsin Committee on Health and Healthcare Reform. The committee had concerns regarding the exemption of certain practices and about expanding the title protection; therefore, there was not a vote on the bill at that time. ABMP will continue to work with the bill sponsor and representatives from the profession on language acceptable to the majority.