| CAMBS |
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| California Alliance of Massage and Bodywork Schools |
December 2003 |
There are five remaining opportunities for concerned massage therapists to speak out about the proposed bill to regulate massage therapy in California. The first opportunity is now, while AB 1388 is in front of the Assembly Business and Professions Committee. The Assembly reconvenes January 5, 2004 and the committee has to approve or reject AB 1388 by January 16, 2004. If the B&E committee passes the bill, it has to be voted on by the entire Assembly by January 31, 2004. There isn’t much time. Write letters NOW so that the committee members receive them before January 5, 2004, even if you have previously written to the committee. Be sure to send copies of your letters to the governor. You can get the names and addresses of the B&P committee members by going to the CAMBS website or by emailing the CAMBS editor (ramona@camassageschools.org).
Immediately contact your own Assembly representative and make an appointment to discuss AB 1388 at the local office. You can find out who your representative is by visiting the Assembly web page, http://www.assembly.ca.gov. Click on “Find my district” on the left hand side, which will lead to a search page. Enter your zip code and you will be given the name and contact information for your representative. Emphasize the effect the bill will have on local therapists and the local economy when you talk with your representative.
If the bill successfully passes the Assembly it then goes to the Senate, first to the Senate B&E Committee, then the entire Senate. If the bill passes the Senate, then it goes in front of the Governor for his signature. This could happen rapidly, so it is important to be ready to respond at every stage of the process. Everyone may have to write the same letters five times.
CAMBS has obtained a copy of the sunrise questionnaire submitted to the Assembly Business and Professions Committee as justification for AB 1388. The sunrise document strongly advocates the National Certification Exam as a requirement for licensure. Much of the information in the sunrise questionnaire seems to this editor to be misleading and to be based on conjecture, however it could have a powerful effect on the committee unless massage therapists write letters counteracting misleading statements in the sunrise questionnaire. The sunrise questionnaire can be found on the CAMBS website http://www.camassageschools.org/library/sunrise_questionnaire_body.pdf.
One of the dangers of any legislative process is that the bill could be dramatically changed at the last minute, and wind up being substantially different from what was originally proposed.
We urge all massage school owners, managers, instructors, and other concerned persons to make sure that CAMBS has the correct contact information for your school, especially the contact name, fax number and email address, so that CAMBS can let everyone know if there are any last-minute changes to the bill that require urgent response. Send this information to the CAMBS editor, ramona@camassageschools.org.
CAMBS originally opposed AB 1388 for many reasons, which were summarized in previous newsletters. (You can see those newsletters on the CAMBS website: http://www.camassageschools.org).
CAMBS’s chair person, Teresa Nead, subsequently participated in a coalition of members of the massage industry who recommended substantial changes to the bill, which was then resubmitted to the Assembly Business & Professions Committee. There are still some needed changes, but the bill cannot be revised again until it is voted on by the B&E committee in January.
CAMBS members have come up with a “must-have” list of elements that must be in the bill in order for us to support it. If these items are not in the bill, then CAMBS will oppose the bill. These items are:
1. Pre-emption of local massage licensing. (Note that this will have no effect on local zoning requirements or local business licenses. Pre-emption would eliminate the requirement for city massage permits. )
2. A 250 hour Massage Practitioner requirement for licensing, with sufficient safeguards to assure that a student will have completed a balance core curriculum. This tier must be permanent, not phased out in a few years.
3. NO NCE or similar test except as an optional choice. Examinations are done within the schools.
4. Massage Board has no control over curriculum in massage schools, either directly or indirectly.
5. Practitioner hours (250) must be acquired at an Approved, not a Registered school.
6. Reasonable licensing fees and other associated costs.
7. Fine only, no prison as a penalty for practicing without a license.
After reviewing the latest version of AB 1388 and the sunrise questionnaire, you may find that you choose to oppose the bill, or you may have concerns about specific requirements of the bill, or you may feel that AB 1388 accurately reflects the practice of massage in California and you plan to support the bill.
It is imperative that you write letters now to Christine Kehoe, members of the Assembly Business and Professions Committee, and the Governor. Make sure you send your letters now so they are received before January 5, 2004. Keep your letters to one page in length and itemize clearly the reasons you oppose the bill. You can attach supporting documents, but don’t put them in the body of the letter.
Write letters now to Christine Kehoe, members of the Assembly Business and Professions Committee, and the Governor itemizing the areas of concern and giving specific reasons. You can use the CAMBS “must-have” list as a model, or review information on the CAMBS web page for specifics.
You still need to write letters because of the risk of last minute changes to the bill. Tell the elected officials what items in the bill are important to you, so that they won’t be changed.
Please feel free to contact the CAMBS board of directors at the addresses below.
| Director | Teresa Reynolds Nead |
| Treasurer | Birgit Ball-Eisner |
| Secretary | Ramona Moody French |
Send dues or registration fees to Birgit
Ball Eisner. Send letters to the editor to Ramona Moody French. Send
other correspondence to Teresa Nead. |
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| Annual dues: | $100.00 |
| Meeting fees: | $50.00 per school for members $50.00 per person for non-members |
By the time of the next CAMBS meeting, AB 1388 will have either become law or it will have been defeated. It will be the right time for us to turn our attention again to the running of our businesses, because a successful school benefits the owners, managers, staff and students alike.
Our meeting has been scheduled to be held on April 30, 2004 in Las Vegas, the day before the opening of the International Esthetics, Cosmetics and Spa Conference at the Las Vegas Hilton Convention Center (May 1, 2, & 3, 2004). This gives everyone attending the CAMBS meeting an opportunity to also attend the Esthetics/Spa conference. There will be hundreds of manufacturers and distributors of massage and spa products as well as many interesting classes for continuing education.
Registration Form - CAMBS Meeting
To register for the meeting, please fill out and submit this form with payment to: CAMBS Meeting registration
Check here if 2004 dues ($100.00) are included with this registration. Total Enclosed: $
International Esthetics, Cosmetics & Spa Conference
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| Information about the Esthetics Conference is included with this newsletter. To register for the Esthetics Show, contact Show Management for more information: |
800-624-3248
Fax: 805-995-2504
Email: info@iecsc.com
Web: www.iecsc.com