SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2457        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Jacob R. Oliveira

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to continuing education requirements for licensed massage therapists.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2457        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act relative to continuing education requirements for licensed massage therapists.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 112 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after Section 228 subsection (b) the following section:-

(c) In addition to the requirements of subsection (a), licensed massage therapists must complete continuing education as a condition of license renewal. Such continuing education shall meet the following requirements:

(1) Complete 20 hours of continuing education every two years, including: (i) Two (2) hours on ethics in massage therapy, completed in person; (ii) One (1) hour on Massachusetts massage therapy laws and rules, which may be completed online or in person; (iii) Up to six (6) hours of continuing education may be completed online or through home study courses; and (iv) The remaining hours must be completed in person through live classes or webinars.

(2) Continuing education courses must be: (i) Approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB); or (ii) Offered by a provider approved by the Board of Registration of Massage Therapy of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

(3) Licensed massage therapists must retain documentation of completed continuing education hours for a minimum of four (4) years and provide such documentation to the Board upon request.

(4) At the time of renewal, licensed massage therapists shall attest to the completion of required continuing education hours and to holding current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED).

(5) Licenses shall expire on November 30 of even-numbered years. Failure to complete the continuing education requirements or to provide attestation of CPR and AED certification by the renewal deadline shall result in nonrenewal of the license until compliance is demonstrated.