This article was originally published as “2017 Proposed Changes to Nevada State’s Massage Therapy Law” on 2/20/2017; it has been updated as of 6/5/2017.
NRS 640.C governs the massage therapy profession and the professionals who are licensed by the Nevada State Board of Massage Therapists (NSBMT). In late-2016, with their newest Executive Director, Sandy Anderson, the NSBMT asked Honorable Assemblywoman Maggie Carlton to sponsor a Bill that would primarily change the constituency of licensees holding professional licenses under the NSBMT. There are several additional points to the Bill, as it was written and Introduced by Assemblywoman Carlton, that, as massage therapists, affect us.
The Bill was first known as BDR 766 when introduced on December 10, 2016, and had been formally introduced to the Assembly as AB 179 on February 13, 2017, and is now resolved* to do several things:
- Change the name of the board: from the “Nevada State Board of Massage Therapists” to the “Nevada State Board of Massage Therapy“
- Add two new license types to the currently-existing Licensed Massage Therapists, et al: Licensed Reflexologist, et al; and, Licensed Structural Integration Practitioner, et al. Reflexology is moved from under NRS 629 “Wellness Services” to NRS 640.C; Structural Integration Practitioner is a newly-created license under this Bill. Each new license has its own educational, legal, and Application requirements (TBD by NSBMT-mediated Workshop (dates TBD)).
- Change the composition of the NSBMT: from 7 Board Members to 9 Board Members: the 2 additional Board members are – one each – from the newly-added fields to the NSBMT’s domain: a NSBMT-licensed Reflexologist and an NSBMT-licensed Structural Integration Practitioner.
- Add Establishments to its regulatory oversight: Massage Therapy, Reflexology, and Structural Integration Establishments are – additionally, to local regulation (if any) – under the Board’s regulation. A [maximum] Inspection Fee of $50 is levied for each Board-initiated Massage Therapy, Reflexology, and Structural Integration Establishment request for inspection.
- Change the license Renewal Period: from every One Year (annually) to every Two Years (biennially) – the Renewal Fee has doubled to $300 but is only required every two years.
The Nevada School of Massage Therapy hosted a live Q & A Session on February 27, 2017, where the AMTA-Nevada Chapter presented this information and opened up the floor for comments and questions. About 33 people were in attendance, the majority of which were matriculating students of NSMT’s program, including NSMT staff, AMTA members, and MT professionals. The session lasted about 45 minutes and was presented by Chapter President Mavies Gascon and Immediate Past President David Otto.
The Nevada Chapter members were email-noticed on 3/14 & 3/26/2017 to participate in a poll available during the period of 3/14-3/28/2017 as to their positions and opinions on AB 179. Subsequent to the closing of the poll, Nevada Chapter President Mavies Gascon attended a May 5th public hearing of the Committee on Commerce, Labor and Energy regarding Amendment(s)-considered and reported the chapter members’ position of Support for AB 179. Here is the crux of what he reported:
*The Act AB 179 was signed into law, recorded June 1, 2017, and goes into effect as of July 1, 2017. The NSBMT is anticipating that licenses for Reflexologists and Structural Integration Practitioners will be available for application and required for practice on Jan 1, 2018.
Other NSBMT Updates:
- Completed inspections of Nevada Massage Therapy Establishments by the NSBMT have resulted in 18 closures during the January to May, 2017, time-frame.
- The NSBMT is committed to a “less than 15-day turnaround” for actions on New and Renewing NSBMT License Applications.
- The NSBMT is removing the ‘Pre-application’ process for license Applications.
- The NSBMT anticipates a software update to the Licensee Account Area that will allow a user to upload/record CEHs being used for his/her next Renewal PRIOR to his/her Renewal Application process and 90-day window prior to expiration of his/her current license period.
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the First 90-days…
Hello Members!
Now, on with this month’s blog…
I was elected to serve as a chapter leader, first as 1st Vice President back in 2010, with the intention of running for another leadership office, but not really the presidency.
Billie Shea (who has served several terms as President, now Immediate Past President) had other plans than my “just” participating in a fully-engaging and wonderfully-satisfying position as a volunteer. She knew that, over my years of service in media outlets, out in the population of the membership and non-members of professionals in the Las Vegas area, being active in my professional goals as well as association goals, I had a little more potential. And I guess I have to say: I thought so, too.
I suspect, from the get-go, Billie was looking for the right person, a willing person, an established professional and personality in the massage therapist community, and I had worked hard to be in that position, but didn’t realize the gravity of my situation until someone told me I should run for President.
When I joined the AMTA & Nevada chapter back in 2001, during my last weeks of school, I really had no idea that the AMTA would be an opportunity that grew me both professionally and personally – was starting with a solid liability insurance policy, as far as I was concerned. I had and have a passion for massage therapy, and that passion to do what was right for me, back in the day; and now, my passion has developed into a purpose to do what is right for the profession in Nevada. I can think of no stronger, prominent, or active group of massage therapy professionals than those who are members of the AMTA – in Nevada and across the U.S.!
I have had, even before I was elected chapter President, more positive & growth experiences in my management skills, massage therapy skills, interpersonal skills, marketing skills, and entrepreneurial drive than I can ever imagine would have happened had it not been for the tried, true, and structured resource of the humans that make up the AMTA. From the National office to the newest Student Member, I count on every person who professes to support and practice massage therapy in its truest form to contribute to the success of the organization. And, as in a recent interview that I participated in for the national promotion of the AMTA, “I am David Otto. I am AMTA.”
And so is every member.
If you believe in supporting massage therapy research, the development of the field and profession, and providing massage therapy clients with the “best massage ever,” you have found a friend, mentor, and inspiration in the AMTA. Times can be turbulent and hard to comprehend, but by keeping the Mission in mind and participating, everyone comes out ahead.
Thank you for trusting me as one of the many talented leaders of the Nevada Chapter that you will come across. I encourage you to get to know one other member this year. By the end of 2012, we are organizing a couple of member events coming up in Southern Nevada and there are several continuing education courses in Northern Nevada where you will likely meet a fellow AMTA member – but if not, recognize the “member” in the professional with whom you are talking.
There will be more updates about things YOU and/or your colleagues find interesting and may want to participate in as an Attendee. If you have any ideas, questions, or comments about your membership or participating in affecting an awesome membership of professionals in Nevada, please do not hesitate to contact us!
Yours in Service,
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