HB119 Alabama 2014 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Joe Hubbard

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2014

Title

Massage Therapy, Board of, massage therapists further regulated, penalties increased, Secs. 34-43-3, 34-43-5, 34-43-6, 34-43-7, 34-43-9, 34-43-11, 34-43-12, 34-43-14, 34-43-15, 34-43-17, 34-43-20, 34-43-21 am'd; Sec. 34-43-10 repealed

Summary

HB119 would overhaul Alabama's Massage Therapy Licensure Act by updating school accreditation, licensure rules, penalties, and board authority.

What This Bill Does

It would delete the requirement that Alabama massage therapy schools be accredited by the State Department of Education and would allow board-approved, regionally recognized, or CAMT-accredited programs, removing temporary permits. It would raise the minimum licensure hours to 650, require applicants to be 18 with a high school diploma or equivalent and to pass a criminal history background check, and remove the US citizenship requirement. It would rename the executive secretary to executive director, authorize the board to set and collect fees, license massage therapy establishments, and broaden the board's power to suspend or revoke licenses, with rules for excused absences. It would increase penalties for violations to a Class A misdemeanor, require 16 hours of continuing education for license renewal, create a dedicated board fund for fee revenues, and take effect on the first day of the third month after passage.

Who It Affects

• Massage therapists and licensees would face higher education hour requirements, background checks, continuing education, and stiffer penalties.
• Massage therapy schools and massage therapy establishments would face new licensing rules, fees, and greater board oversight.

Key Provisions

• Delete the Education Department accreditation requirement for Alabama massage therapy schools; accept board-approved, regionally recognized, or CAMT accreditation; remove temporary permits.
• Expand exemptions from licensure and remove references to temporary permits.
• Increase minimum licensure hours to 650 with a detailed breakdown (including anatomy/physiology, basic therapy, business/ethics, and electives) and add a separate 100-hour postgraduate animal anatomy/physiology requirement for animal massage.
• Require applicants to be at least 18, have a high school diploma or equivalent, pass a criminal history background check, and remove the citizen requirement in favor of US citizenship or legal presence.
• Eliminate the limit on how many times an applicant may retake the licensing exam and remove the rule about filing a record of each exam.
• Authorize the board to set and collect various fees, create a dedicated Alabama Board of Massage Therapy Fund, and establish budget and ethics rules (including a mandatory $1,000,000 liability insurance requirement for licensees).
• Give the board broader power to license establishments, require establishments to employ licensed therapists, allow license suspensions and revocations, and permit background checks of establishment licensees.
• Raise penalties for violations to Class A misdemeanor, allow civil penalties up to $10,000, and permit additional enforcement actions and costs related to investigations and prosecutions.
• Impose 16 hours of continuing education for license renewal, with approved providers, audit procedures, and acceptable credit rules.
• Administrative and governance changes include renaming the executive secretary to executive director, providing board member compensation, establishing excused-absences rules, and removing requirements to file oath of office or governor certificates; effective date is the first day of the third month after passage.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Massage Therapy, Board of