California

Yes, you know that voluntary certification has now been available for 21 months. And that certification, for which you pay $150, allows you to practice anywhere in California. However, according to our information, you have so far not chosen to be among the 28,000 massage therapists to apply for CAMTC certification. What you may not realize are two things:

ABMP recently sent a postcard to members on behalf of the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC). This is a great time to apply for CAMTC certification for several reasons:

ABMP is happy to report that, on September 30, 2010, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed AB 1822. In his veto message he stated:

For the last few months AB 1822 has been making its way through the legislative process. In its original form, the bill would have significantly gutted the authority of the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) and the certification process enacted under SB 731 (Oropeza) in 2008. In its current form, the bill would provide both the California Police Chiefs Association and the California State Sheriffs’ Association with the ability to appoint a person to the CAMTC board of directors. The bill has passed the General Assembly.

For several months, ABMP has worked (primarily through its role in CAMTC) with the sponsor of California Assembly Bill 1822 to effect several changes that would make AB 1822 more logical and supportive of the massage therapy profession. Unfortunately, the sponsor has stripped out the constructive clean-up language agreed upon, leaving only provisions for two more CAMTC board seats for specified law enforcement organizations.

California is in the process of redefining the regulation of massage therapy. It is considering AB 1822 which would, if passed, severely alter the regulatory powers of the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC).

AB 1822, heard by the Assembly Appropriations Committee on May 19, 2010, was referred to the suspense file until amendments to the bill could be made. ABMP expects the amendment to be drafted this week and for the Appropriations Committee to vote on Friday, May 28. Should the bill pass in committee, it will be referred to the Assembly Floor.

AB 1822, sponsored by Assemblyman Swanson, passed out of the Assembly Committee on Business, Professions, and Consumer Protection on April 20, 2010, with a vote of 8 for and 3 against. This was the first of several committee hearings the bill will have to pass in order to become law. The bill has been assigned to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

In 2008, an important first step toward statewide regulation was taken when California passed a voluntary certification credential for massage therapists. Once obtained, it exempts massage therapists from having to become licensed in every city in which they work. This credential is potentially now in jeopardy.

Les Sweeney, NCTM
President, ABMP

The blogosphere has heated up lately regarding implementation of statewide massage regulations in California-we think that's healthy. The massage community needs to be engaged in offering its opinions. It took six years to get a bill passed; how the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) implements the law is just as important.

The Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education Reform Act became inoperative on June 30, 2007 and was repealed on January 1, 2008. There has been no regulatory body with oversight of private postsecondary schools since then.