Illinois

An amendment was added to Senate Bill 9 in the Illinois Legislature last week which would impose a sales tax on massage therapy services. The bill includes a new list of taxable "personal care services," including massage, manicuring, tattooing, and tanning. However, "personal care services" are excluded from the tax if they are performed by, or under the order of, a licensed physician, physician's assistant, nurse, or a licensed chiropractor. Hair cutting, coloring, and styling are also exempt.

MBLEx Now Accepted for Licensure

Governor Quinn signed SB 153 into law on August 23, 2011. The bill re-authorizes the Massage Therapy Practice Act until January 1, 2022 and makes several technical changes to the law.

One significant change to the law was to increase the minimum education requirement for new licensing applicants from 500 to 600 hours on January 1, 2014. Currently licensed massage therapists will not be affected by the change.

ABMP has been asked by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to send members residing in Illinois the following information regarding the availability of the Small Business Job Creation Tax Credit.

Illinois’ Massage Licensing Act (Act) will sunset January 2012. Senator Iris Martinez is sponsoring a bill (SB 153) on behalf of the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation and the Massage Licensing Board to make several technical changes in the law as well as to extend the Act to January 2022. SB 153 was introduced on February 8, 2011 and ABMP is supportive of the bill as introduced on that date.

Yesterday, the proposed zoning ordinance sponsored by Alderman Suarez was deferred by the Chicago City Council. Had the ordinance passed, massage businesses would have been moved out of convenient neighborhoods and placed in commercial and industrial zones.

The City of Chicago's Committee on Zoning passed a motion on March 25, 2010, to amend its zoning ordinance affecting massage establishments. The amendment, sponsored by Alderman Ray Suarez (31st Ward), would prohibit "massage establishments" from operating in B Zoning Districts, moving them into C Zoning Districts only. The vote passed 2-0, but the majority of committee members did not vote.

SB 318 became law on August 24, 2009. The law amends the Medical Practice Act and allows any person licensed under it (physicians, chiropractors) to delegate tasks or duties to licensed or unlicensed personnel as long as those duties fall within the scope of practice for the physician or chiropractor. In ABMP's opinion, the law circumvents the Massage Licensing Act and will allow the unlicensed practice of massage therapy and other allied health professions.

Last week the Illinois Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 318 (SB318), which now moves into the Illinois House of Representatives for consideration. As you recall, SB 318, sponsored by Sen. Ira Silverstein, would amend the Medical Practice Act to allow any person licensed under it (physicians, chiropractors) to delegate tasks or duties to licensed or unlicensed personnel as long as those duties fall within the scope of practice for the physician or chiropractor.

Senate bill 318, sponsored by Sen. Ira Silverstein, would amend the Medical Practice Act to allow any person licensed under it (physicians, chiropractors) to delegate tasks or duties to licensed or unlicensed personnel as long as those duties fall within the scope of practice for the physician or chiropractor. If passed, SB 318, would circumvent the Massage Licensing Act and allow the unlicensed practice of massage therapy.

House Bill 64, sponsored by Representative Angelo Saviano, was introduced to the Illinois General Assembly in January. HB 64 would amend the Medical Practice Act to allow any person licensed under it (physicians, chiropractors) to delegate tasks or duties to licensed or unlicensed personnel who have the training or experience to perform the tasks or duties so delegated. HB 64 does not define what constitutes "training" or "experience."