The sections of House Bill 2387 and Senate Bill 2249 which, if passed, would have move the Massage Licensure Board from Tennessee Department of Health to the Tennessee Department of Commerce have been removed. Maj-Lis Nash (AMTA-TN) and Debbie Hicks (TMTA), supported by all who contacted our state Senators and Representatives, were successful working on our behalf. Thank you!
Welcome to the Massage Tennessee website.
The site for Tennessee Massage Therapists and consumers. Hope you like the new, improved look. I'm playing with other functions, so new things will come (and go, if they don't work). Check back often and let me know what you think. If you see a problem, please let me know. Charles West, LMT #64
Tennessee legislators contact info
To find your Tennessee legislators contact info, go to: http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/districtmaps/
Categories: Uncategorized
| 
No comments
Urgent to all Tennessee LMTs
Sections 11 and 12 of House Bill 2387 and Senate Bill 2249, if passed, would move the Massage Licensure Board from Tennessee Department of Health to the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance. Action is necessary soon to prevent this.
The following sample letter may be edited and used to mail, email, or call your State Representative and State Senator. To find your legislators contact info, go to: http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/districtmaps/
My name is ______and I have been a licensed massage therapist in Tennessee for ___ years and am opposed to HB 2387/SB 2249.
On page 5 of the bill, Sections 11 and 12 relocates Title 63-18, the Massage Licensure Act of 1995, from the Department of Health Related Boards to the Department of Commerce and Insurance. I am vehemently opposed to this move for the following reasons:
1. Therapeutic massage is a health profession—not a trade—and massage therapists are health care providers. Since 1995, our profession has been striving continually—and successfully—for recognition within the medical community. Many massage therapists now work in healthcare environments, i.e. offices of physicians, physical therapists, chiropractors, and dentists. Many are employed in hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes.
2. Massage therapy should remain under Title 63 so that healthcare standards set forth in Title 63, Chapter 1 have authority over the massage profession.
3. The massage profession should continue to be regulated within the Health Department in order to best protect the public from unsafe massage therapists.
4. The massage licensure board supports itself entirely from licensure fees; therefore, the move does not save tax dollars, does not streamline state government, and does not reduce duplication of efforts.
We respectfully request that Sections 11 and 12 be deleted in entirety from this bill. Thank you for your consideration of this important matter.
Sincerely,
[name], LMT #_____
Categories: Uncategorized
| No comments
TN Massage Law Class
Wait until the rule changes go into effect before taking a TN Massage Law Class. At the August 2011 meeting, the TN Massage Board set the effective date to January 1, 2012. But, to avoid changing continuing education rules in the middle of the cycle, the Board set the effective date for continuing education requirement to January 1, 2013. All this assumes that the Rule changes will be released from the the review process by 1/1/12 as was then expected.
Categories: Uncategorized
New MLB member
Ed Bolden is the new Professional Member on the Tennessee Massage Licensure Board.
Categories: Uncategorized
| No comments
TN Massage Law Class
UPDATE: DON’T TAKE THE TN LAW CLASS UNTIL the revised rules are released later this year. That way you will be up-to-date on any changes that were decided on last year but won’t go into effect until reviewed and “published.” Comments at the May TN Board meeting were not ot expect the new rules to be posted and in effect until after the August Board meeting.
You can read the current rules here: http://www.state.tn.us/sos/rules/0870/0870.htm Click on 0870-01, then you will see the pdf of the current rules. The file name will tell you its publish date (e.g., 20090623.pdf)
Categories: Uncategorized
| No comments
TN Human Trafficking Bill
The TN Human Trafficking bill has been revised. The latest version can be read here:
Categories: Uncategorized
| No comments
TN Massage Law classes
We’re in a new CE cycle, and all TN LMTs have take the 2-hour TN Massage Law class. BUT,… DON’T TAKE THIS CLASS UNTIL the revised rules are released later this year – hopefully in May. That way you will be up-to-date on any changes that were decided on last year but won’t go into effect until reviewed and “published.”
Categories: Uncategorized
| No comments
TN Continuing Education Audits
At the February TN Massage Board meeting, the Board decided to begin 100% audits for compliance with the 25-hour per cycle requirement. If you did not get your 25 hours during the 2007-2008 or 2009-2010 cycles, it is too late. Make sure you have your records, and wait for the audit notice. The rules require us to keep record for 4 years. To read the Policy, go to http://health.state.tn.us/boards/Massage/PDFs/Policy_Continuing_Ed_Violations.pdf. You can then calculate any upcoming penalties, and begin saving up.
Categories: Uncategorized