CAMBS |
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February 2005 |
AMTA-CA Submits Draft Language
The
draft is available for reading at: http://www.camassageschools.org/library/LanguagetoCounsel_200501.pdf.
All
of the key issues that CAMBS has campaigned for over the last two years are
included in this proposal.
This
draft is not yet a real bill; it must be introduced in the Assembly or Senate
by
Once
a bill has been introduced into the Senate or Assembly, it is important to read
it again very carefully and let your elected representatives know your feelings
on the bill, whether you support or oppose licensing.
As
the bill moves through the legislative process, the language can and probably
will change, so massage therapists need to keep an eye on the whole process to
be ready to contact elected representatives if there are any undesirable
changes in the bill.
Key elements of the bill include:
· Two tiers of licensing (250/500)
· Definition of the massage board and its duties/powers
· Massage curriculum to contain at a minimum 100 hours combined of A&P, contraindications, health, hygiene, business and ethics.
· Grandfathering
· Limit to fees of $50.00 for initial application and no more than $100 for renewals every two years.
· Continuing education requirement of 16 hours every two years.
· Exemptions for specific therapies
· Pre-emption of city and county licensing
In January 2003, AMTA-CA introduced AB1388, legislation which was
intended to establish a state wide California Massage Law. CAMBS was the first organization to notify
massage schools and their students and graduates about the bill.
It was universally agreed that the bill was poorly conceived and written. Over the next few months, CAMBS members
developed a position statement that identified twelve key issues of concern,
and backed up these concerns with extensive documentation. The CAMBS position statement was widely
distributed to schools, the AMTA and ABMP as well as legislators in the State
Assembly.
Due to overwhelming
opposition to the AMTA-CA bill, a coalition was formed, including Beverly May
of the AMTA-CA, Bob Benson of the ABMP and Teresa Nead of CAMBS and five other
massage professionals. In the remaining
months of 2003 the coalition spent many hours reviewing AB 1388 and in the end
they boiled it down to seven key items that must be included in the bill. The language of the bill was revised and
submitted to the Business and Professions Committee of the State Assembly in
January, but no further action was taken by the Assembly and the bill died.
After AB 1388 was tabled in January, 2004, members of CAMBS continued to discuss massage licensing concepts, hoping to build on the basis laid by the coalition of which Teresa Nead was a member. As a result, CAMBS developed a new version of AB 1388, in keeping with AMTA’s request for concepts and language that would help to create a bill that would genuinely protect the public and meet the needs of massage therapists and state legislators.
This new version of AB 1388, containing the key issues that had developed over the previous year, was included in a position statement distributed to massage schools, the AMTA-CA, ABMP and members of the Assembly and Senate Business and Professions Committees.
Negotiations continued in the remaining months of 2004, especially between AMTA-CA and ABMP, leading to the draft that was submitted to Legislative Counsel in January, 2005. All of the key issues for which CAMBS has fought over the last two years were included in this new draft.
As it stands, this new draft is much better than previous versions but it could change as it moves through the Assembly and Senate. Make sure CAMBS has your correct email information so we can keep you posted as things change. Remember, the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. We have to watch this process closely and be ready to act as soon as it is needed.
CAMBS Board of Directors
President: Teresa Reynolds Nead
The Body Institute
8331
(916) 791-1951
Treasurer: Birgit Ball-Eisner
Monterey Institute of Touch
(831) 624-1006
Secretary: Ramona Moody French
Somatherapy, Inc.
2100 N. Palm Canyon C100
(760) 323-5806
Send dues or registration fees to Ramona Moody French. Send other correspondence to Teresa Nead.
School Survey
Please
take the time to read the proposed bill and answer the following
questions. CAMBS wants to be sure to
represent the views of all massage schools in
Fax your answers to the following questions to Teresa Nead
at 916-791-0119.
1. In general do you support or oppose the concept of state licensing for massage therapists?
2. Do you support the current draft version that has been submitted to Legislative Counsel by the AMTA?
3. Do you oppose the current draft version of the massage licensing bill? What changes to the bill would gain your support?
4. What do you consider to be the key issues in state licensing?
5. What would make you actively oppose state licensing?
6. Should teachers in massage schools, with current certificates of authorization, be grandfathered as massage practitioners or therapists?
School Name____________________________________
Name__________________________________________
(Person filling out
this form)
Email address:___________________________________
School address:__________________________________
Telephone:______________________________________