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TAMT History

What has TAMT been up to recently? Here are links to a few important events, including the 80th Texas Legislature and the ongoing Internet scams against LMTs and other small business professionals.

Updating Texas Massage Legislation

The history of the Texas Legislative Coalition is summarized in this report by former Central Texas Regional Director Janine Ray, LMT, MTI. This was for the 79th Texas State Legislation Session.

Results of 79th Legislative Session (2005)

The session is over! We didn't get all we wanted; we averted some medium-sized disasters, and made a bit of progress.

First - disaster control in the form of HB 1767 sponsored by Representative Robby Cook. This veterinarian-sponsored bill originally stated that massage or physical therapy on animals could only be performed by, or under the supervision of a veterinarian. The bill passed, however, this onerous section was completely removed.

Both HB44 and HB191, limiting the dispersal of nutritional information to the public to nutritional professionals, died in committee.

Next, progress came in the form of HB2696 sponsored by Representative Rafael Anchia. This bill has passed the House and Senate. It changes the word "registration" for massage therapists to "license"; it mandates criminal background checks on all MT applications; it limits the age for MT licensing to 18; it increases criminal penalties; and it clearly separates sexually-oriented businesses from legitimate massage therapy establishments and activities.

Our biggest hope was HB1842 sponsored by Representative Diane Delisi. This bill passed the House and died in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. It would have increased standards for the massage profession by requiring 500 hours of training, rather than the current 300. It would have eliminated the practical exam, and allowed the state to administer the exam in multiple locations. Finally, it would have grandfathered existing therapists. The increased hours were primarily distributed in additional business training, as well as in anatomy and physiology.

Numerous polls were taken by several massage groups across the state, and these polls all indicated that MT's were requesting more training in these areas. So, what happened in the legislature? The Coalition of Schools had major objections to the increase in required hours. I wonder if the 30 schools (out of 80 total) represented by the Coalition were worried about possible competition from trade schools? The ABMP lobbied against HB1842. And I wonder if they felt an increase in hours might lessen the attractiveness of their membership? Finally, the AMTA representative lobbied against HB1842 for many weeks. In the last few days, that representative clarified that the opinions that she had been offering were her own...a little too late though.

Most interesting of all, is that each of the above-mentioned groups that lobbied heavily against HB1842 had participated for two and a half years in the creation of the document that was the basis of the revised form of the bill. This effort at consensus-building was organized and facilitated by TAMT, which solely represents Texas massage therapists practicing their chosen profession. Since Texas has the fewest required educational hours for MT's in the nation, there will probably be another effort to raise the standards in the 2007 legislative session. Please stay involved in this process. Here is the website to access legislative information: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlo/.

Brooks Kasson, LMT
TAMT Legislative Chairperson
Moderator for Texas Legislative Coalition

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Legislative Massage Awareness Day, May 29th, 2003

The Texas State Legislature proclaimed the week of May 26th Massage Therapy Awareness Week, and May 29th as Legislative Massage Awareness Day.