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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the requirements for a massage therapist license. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 455.156(b), Occupations Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) An applicant for a license under this section must be an |
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individual and: |
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(1) present evidence satisfactory to the department |
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that the person[:
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[(A)] has satisfactorily completed massage |
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therapy studies in a 500-hour minimum [300-hour], supervised course |
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of instruction provided by a massage therapy instructor at a |
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massage school, a licensed massage school, a state-approved |
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educational institution, or any combination of instructors or |
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schools, in which at least: |
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(A) 200 [(i)125] hours are taught by a licensed |
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massage therapy instructor and dedicated to the study of massage |
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therapy techniques and theory and the practice of manipulation of |
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soft tissue, with at least 125 hours dedicated to the study of |
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Swedish massage therapy techniques [and taught by a massage therapy
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instructor]; |
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(B) [(ii)] 50 hours are dedicated to the study of |
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anatomy; |
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(C) [(iii)] 25 hours are dedicated to the study |
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of physiology; |
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(D) 50 hours are dedicated to the study of |
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kinesiology; |
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(E) 40 hours are dedicated to the study of |
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pathology; |
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(F) 20 [(iv)15] hours are dedicated to the |
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study of hydrotherapy; |
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(G) 45 [(v)15] hours are dedicated to the study |
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of massage therapy laws and rules, business practices, and |
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professional ethics standards; |
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(H) [(vi)] 20 hours are dedicated to the study of |
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health, [and] hygiene, first aid, universal precautions, and |
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cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); and |
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(I) [(vii)] 50 hours are spent in an internship |
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program; [or
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[(B) has practiced massage therapy as a
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profession for not less than five years in another state or country
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that the department determines does not maintain standards and
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requirements of practice and licensing or registration that
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substantially conform to the standards and requirements of this
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state;] |
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(2) pass the [practical and] written [portions of the] |
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state examination; and |
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(3) be at least 18 years of age. |
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SECTION 2. Except as provided by Section 3 of this Act, the |
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changes in law made by this Act to Section 455.156, Occupations |
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Code, apply only to a license applicant who enrolls in a massage |
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therapist training program for the first time on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. An applicant who enrolled in a massage |
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therapist training program for the first time before that date is |
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governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date |
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of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act by the |
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deletion of former Section 455.156(b)(1)(B), Occupations Code, |
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applies only to an application for a license filed on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. A license application filed before that |
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date is governed by the law in effect at the time the application is |
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filed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect January 1, 2008. |