Committee hears competing views on massage-therapy compact; no vote taken

The Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee heard competing testimony on House Bill 232, a two-part measure that would raise initial massage-therapy education hours and enact language to join an interstate compact creating a multistate license for massage therapists.

Mylin Petrine, director of legal and regulatory affairs for the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB), testified in support of HB232 and opposed amendments proposed by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA). Petrine urged the committee to pass the compact language unchanged, arguing that a compact is a contract between states and requires identical statutory language from each participating legislature. "A compact is a contract between states and every state must pass the same exact language," Petrine said, adding that unilateral changes would threaten public safety and undermine the compact process.

Stan Jones, representing AMTA's Georgia chapter, asked the committee to consider targeted amendments to avoid excluding experienced Georgia therapists who lack the specific exams or hour totals in the compact draft. Jones said AMTA sought revisions to make the compact accessible to Georgia practitioners and their neighboring-state colleagues.

Committee members questioned whether increasing required hours from 500 to 625 (the sponsor and witnesses referenced 625) would make the public safer or simply raise barriers to work, and they pressed for data on continuing-education requirements and exemptions for older practitioners. FSMTB said raising hours to 625 would help students qualify for federal Pell grants and thus expand educational access; AMTA said it supported some increases but cautioned about unintended barriers.

Chair O'Kosk said HB232 would not be acted on today, asked parties to continue negotiations, encouraged submission of agreed changes or supplemental materials, and retained the record for future consideration.