Assembly Bill 1504 (AB 1504) seeks to evaluate the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) by assessing its effectiveness—and downfalls—through what’s known as a “sunset review process” and implementing any resulting recommendations. The CAMTC can anticipate one of the following outcomes:
- Extend the CAMTC beyond its slated repeal date of January 1, 2026
- Amend the CAMTC with intention to improve
- Sunset the CAMTC and replace it with a new regulatory model
What’s the Right Choice for California?
ABMP believes California must sunset the CAMTC and join the majority of the country in establishing statewide massage licensure. Forty-five states require licensing, and the CAMTC is no longer capable of serving the massage therapy industry, massage professionals, or the people of California.
We encourage you to use this easy-to-follow advocacy email template to voice your opinion on AB 1504 ahead of the April 29 committee hearing. You can include the talking points you are most passionate about. Feel free to alter the writing and make it your own; legislators will be more receptive to letters that do not all look the same. Include brief anecdotes from your personal experiences detailing how the CAMTC has failed to serve you as a massage therapist and the industry. Be polite and brief in your communications with legislators; they are trying to help us, so we want to be respectful of their time and efforts.
Why Statewide Licensure?
Among the many issues facing the massage therapy industry in California that statewide licensure would help solve are:
- Credential reciprocity
- Confusing patchwork regulation
- Combatting illegal activity
- Lack of disciplinary action and due process
- Lack of board accountability and transparency
- Costly fees
Above all, statewide licensure ensures a unified scope of practice, professional standards, practitioner accountability, and consumer and practitioner protection. Help us sunset the CAMTC and advocate for statewide licensure—it is pivotal for your voice to be heard to influence change in California!