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Heated testimony in Helena as bill would loosen association limits on massage‑therapy board
Summary
House Bill 7-20 would remove a long-standing restriction that limited professional seats on Montana’s Board of Massage Therapy by national association membership. Department officials supported the change to ease appointments; many practicing therapists opposed it as undermining balance and consensus.
Representative Nellie Nicholl said House Bill 7-20 aims to broaden the pool of qualified massage therapists eligible for appointment to the Montana Board of Massage Therapy by removing a statutory limitation that currently prevents more than one professional member from belonging to the same national association.
Sarah Swanson, commissioner of the Department of Labor and Industry, said the limitation is unique to the massage board and makes it difficult for governors to recruit qualified members. Swanson said the department has struggled to fill the health‑care and public member slots at times and supported the bill as a standardization across boards.
Proponents included massage therapists and business owners who said the restriction blocks qualified applicants because some therapists choose associations based on insurance or continuing education providers. Opponents — many massage practitioners and association representatives testifying in person and online — countered that the rule preserves balance, prevents anti‑competitive dominance, and was the product of earlier consensus when licensure was created. Several opponents pointed to data in testimony showing a large share of licensees are unaffiliated with national groups and warned the bill would grant outsized voice to politically active associations.
Committee members asked about appointment history and asked the department to research appointment records; Commissioner Swanson agreed to try to provide historical board makeup data. The sponsor asked for a due‑pass recommendation; the hearing closed with clear division among stakeholders.
