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History
- Referred to higher education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Relates to expanding the definition of massage therapy to include additional related services and to require the licensee of a massage therapy location to be on premises at all times during business hours
In Assembly Committee · Higher Education · Sponsor Michael G. Miller
Full text
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Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to expanding the definition of massage therapy to include other related services and requiring the licensee of a massage therapy location be on the premises at all times during business hours
Purpose
This bill seeks to expand the definition of massage therapy to include additional related services and to require the holder of a massage therapy license to by on premises at all times during business hours.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of the bill amends chapter 230 of the laws of 1997 and provides that the massage therapist license holder shall be on premises at all times during business hours and only the licensee shall engage in a physical touching of customers.
Section 2 amends the education law and expands on the definition of massage therapy and includes additional terms such as table shower, hot towel massage, shiatsu/deep tissue massage, oil massage, body slide and body rub.
Section 3 describes the effective date.
Justification
There has been a substantial increase in the amount of massage parlors that have set up shop under the guise of 'massage therapists' and promoting prostitution and illegal sexual activities. Many of these shops are unlicensed and do not fall under the purview of the State Department of Education. By expanding the definition of "massage therapist" and requiring educational requirements to be licensed and continuing education to maintain the license, this bill seeks to require unlicensed massage parlors to be licensed as a deterrent to those who simply open a massage parlor in a store front and are unlicensed.
This bill goes one step further and requires that the license holder be present on premises at all times during business hours. Also, only a licensed massage therapist may engage in any physical form of contact with customers.
Legislative history
New Bill.
Fiscal implications
To Be Determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.