Pennsylvania
Laws &
Regulation
Update
January 2005
A bill to license
massage therapists in Pennsylvania will be re-introduced in the
2005 legislative session.
House Bill (HB) 2078 died at the end
of the 2004 legislative session, but not before gaining some ground,
said Nancy Porambo, president of the Pennsylvania Body Therapy Association,
a coalition of bodyworkers who helped draft the bill.
An amendment to the bill (A3480) was
approved by the Pennsylvania governor’s office that would
allow massage therapists to be regulated by a state board of massage
therapy, instead of the state board of nursing, as required in previous
versions of the bill.
As drafted, HB 2078 would require massage
therapists to complete 600 hours of education and pass a written
examination. The bill also includes a grandfather clause.
November 2004
A bill to license
massage therapists in Pennsylvania will be re-introduced in the
2005 legislative session, with minor changes, and a vote is expected
in early 2005.
House Bill (HB) 2078 died at the end
of the 2004 legislative session, but not before gaining some ground,
said Nancy Porambo, president of the Pennsylvania Body Therapy Association,
a coalition of bodyworkers who helped draft the bill.
An amendment to the bill (A3480) was
approved by the Pennsylvania governor’s office that would
allow massage therapists to be regulated by a state board of massage
therapy, instead of the state board of nursing, as required in previous
versions of the bill.
A public hearing on HB 2078, held July
28, 2004, brought vocal support for the bill, as well as opposition
from groups such as the Pennsylvania Physical Therapy Association
and the Pennsylvania Medical Society.
Porambo said she is sending rebuttal
letters and setting up meetings with those groups.
As drafted, HB 2078 would require massage
therapists to complete 600 hours of education and pass a written
examination. The bill also includes a grandfather clause.
November 2003
The introduction of a bill to license massage therapists in Pennsylvania
has been postponed again, as supporters attempt to secure co-sponsors,
gather letters of support and clarify minor language errors, according
to Nancy Porambo, president of the Pennsylvania Body Therapy Association.
The association, a coalition of bodyworkers
that helped draft the bill, has been working toward state licensing
for Pennsylvania massage therapists for more than nine years.
"The bill has not been introduced,
particularly due to errors that occurred in the reprint of the draft,"
said Porambo. "Our lobbyist has gone over the bill with a fine-toothed
comb to be sure the appropriate language is in the bill.
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