Details about amendments to California’s AB 1822, a bill originally intended to take control of massage regulation away from a statewide credentialing council and give that control to local law-enforcement agencies, have been provided to MASSAGE Magazine by the California Massage Therapy Council’s (CAMTC) chief executive officer.
“The tide turned this week in regards to AB 1822, the educational effort mounted by CAMTC, [American Massage Therapy Association] and the rest of the profession made a significant impact on the members of the Appropriations Committee,” Ahmos Netanel told MASSAGE Magazine. “We are pleased that Assemblyman [Sandre] Swanson, the author of the bill, allowed a conscientious review of the bill and the real-world consequences.
“At the end of the day, while we still have not offered our support for the bill … the Police Chiefs agreed to amend the bill in a more positive manner,” he said, adding that the amendments will include:
“Remove all language regarding local certification of individual massage therapists. If new language can be found that is sensible and workable we will review with an open mind.
“Keep the language adding two law-enforcement members to the board: a Police Chief’s Association position and a Sheriff’s Association position.
“Amend the establishment statute … Obviously, our goal is to cooperate with local law enforcement without creating new disadvantages for the massage therapy profession.
“On Thursday, Sandre Swanson’s office submitted amendments to Legislative Counsel that remove all contentious parts of the bill,” said Netanel. “They are waiting for suggested language from us that will resolve our establishment issues.
“CAMTC is obtaining best practices from other states in regards to establishments,” he added. “We want to craft amendments that resolve local concerns without returning to draconian zoning measures.”
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