CA AB 1504

Title: California Massage Therapy Council.
Author: Marc Berman

Summary
AB 1504, as amended, Berman. California Massage Therapy Council. Existing law, the Massage Therapy Act, provides for the certification and regulation of massage professionals by the California Massage Therapy Council, which is a private nonprofit organization governed by a board of directors composed of 13 members. Existing law requires one member to be appointed by the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, and authorizes the California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools to appoint one member. Existing law requires one member to be a certified massage therapist or a certified massage practitioner who is a California resident who has practiced massage for at least 3 years before appointment and is selected by a specified professional society, association, or other entity the membership of which is composed of massage therapist professionals, and that chooses to participate in the council.This bill would remove the above-described appointment of one member by the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, and would limit the appointment authority of the California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools by requiring that their appointed member represent an approved massage school. The bill would add an additional member who is a certified massage therapist or a certified massage practitioner who is selected by a specified professional society, association, or other entity, as described above, and would make conforming changes related to that provision.Existing law authorizes the council to take any reasonable actions necessary to carry out the responsibilities and duties set forth in the Massage Therapy Act, including hiring staff.This bill would prohibit the total annual compensation for any individual employed or contracted by the council from exceeding the annual salary provided to certain state officers during that fiscal year.Existing law requires the council to issue a certificate to practice massage therapy to an applicant who meets specified qualifications, including that the applicant has successfully completed the curricula in massage and related subjects, as specified. Existing law requires the council to determine whether the school from which an applicant has obtained their education meets the requirement of the Massage Therapy Act. If the council has any reason to question whether or not the applicant received that education from the school or schools that the applicant is claiming, existing law requires the council to investigate the facts to determine that the applicant received the education before issuing the certificate.This bill would authorize, instead of require, the council to conduct that investigation, as described above.Existing law requires a certificate holder to notify the council within 30 days of any changes in the certificate holder’s home address or the address of any massage establishment or other location where the certificate holder provides massage for compensation, except as specified.This bill would also require a certificate holder to notify the council within 30 days of any changes in the certificate holder’s legal name.Existing law makes it a violation of the Massage Therapy Act for an applicant or certificate holder to commit certain acts, and makes the commission of those acts grounds for the council to deny an application for a certificate or to impose discipline on a certificate holder. Those acts include being convicted of any felony, misdemeanor, infraction, or municipal code violation, or being held liable in an administrative or civil action for an act, that is substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of a certificate holder.This bill would specify that a plea or verdict of guilty, or a conviction after a plea of nolo contendere, is a conviction for purposes of the above-described provision. The bill would also include among those specified acts that are considered a violation the determination o

Status
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

Bill Documents
CA AB 1504 - 04/30/25 - Amended Assembly
04/30/25 - CA AB 1504 (04/30/25 - Amended Assembly)