While the bill’s provisions have been in flux, AB 1147 now requires massage professionals complete a competency assessment examination approved by the
California Massage Therapy Council prior to their certification. In its current form, the bill does not include changes requested by the League and stakeholder cities. Nonetheless, it is imperative that AB 1147 pass the Assembly by the Jan. 31 legislation house of origin deadline and make it to the Senate before more controversial amendments are made.
The proliferation of bad-actor massage therapy establishments has become a source of growing public safety concern for cities throughout the state. To curb this trend the League is currently working on additional provisions with stakeholders and the bill’s author to further local control over these establishments and better equip cities with the tools necessary to combat illicit massage, prostitution and human trafficking.
League Webinar on Previous Certification Legislation
Last week the League hosted a
webinar on the impacts of previous
legislation that created the voluntary certification of massage establishments. The response was overwhelming with over 160 individual lines participating. The League would like to thank the cities of Huntington Beach, San Gabriel, and Thousand Oaks for sharing their experiences on this issue and to the rest of the cities that participated in the webinar.
Get Involved and Make Your City Heard
Given the highly sensitive and important nature of this issue, the League has set-up a
massage regulation hot issues website to serve as a one-stop-shop for cities looking to become more engaged.
The League encourages city officials and interested stakeholders to submit new
letters of the support to their Assembly representatives that reflect the bill’s recent amendments. To locate your Assembly Member, please enter your voting address
here.