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Committee advances AB 1504 to extend California Massage Therapy Council amid debate over transparency and enforcement
Summary
AB 1504 would reauthorize the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) for four years with added reforms; supporters argued for continuity of credentialing and public‑health protections while opponents urged creation of a licensure board and raised due‑process and transparency concerns; committee advanced the sunset bill.
AB 1504, presented as a sunset/reauthorization bill, would extend the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) for an additional four years while adding multiple reforms the committee requested during the sunset review. Supporters representing CAMTC and industry groups said the council provides cost‑effective credentialing and protects consumers; proponents from the American Massage Therapy Association and individual certified therapists urged continuation and incremental fixes.
Opponents, including representatives of massage schools and some advocacy groups, urged the legislature instead to sunset CAMTC and create a full state licensing board for massage therapists, arguing that the council lacks sufficient due process, transparency and enforceable complaint procedures. Speakers described protracted local investigations and administrative hearings, including claims of a school that faced a multi‑year investigation and court actions; they sought stricter timelines for investigations and clearer appeal rights.
Supporters said recent amendments removed a referral requirement for certain female breast massage services and made other technical fixes. CAMTC and counsel also flagged provisions that would impose public‑records obligations or personnel limitations that could be impractical for a private nonprofit entity and requested further drafting support from the committees.
Committee members acknowledged the complex tradeoffs: stakeholder calls for full licensure and systemic accountability versus practical concerns about disruption to credentialing and workforce entry. The author said amendments were accepted to address several stakeholder concerns and that additional work would continue; the committee advanced AB 1504 and left the item on call while awaiting remaining members’ votes.
