Legislative Issue for 2012
RE: HB2387/SB2249
POSTED FEBRUARY 2, 2012
We have heard from the Gov's Office and have been asked to sit tight a little longer. No decision either way has been made. We are not the only ones disputing sections of HB2387. This is the Gov't and we all know how slowly they move on things, but this is okay as we are ready with our plan of attack if need be. We will be notified of the decision by phone but Maj-Lis and I are also following it on the net.
UPDATE FROM 1/27 MEETING @ GOVERNOR'S OFFICE
In a nutshell, they wanted to hear the negative affects of being transferred to CNI, then they proposed their solutions which was to amend this law to give us what we would lose by moving to CNI. Which were requirements and protections under Title 63 Chapter 1 and the ability to contract with a Impaired Professionals Program. i.e. Lighthouse Professionals, Inc.
My argument to that was, I thought you were doing this to “streamline” gov’t. That would only duplicate what we already have where we are at an added expense to the State. Lets not re-invent the wheel and leave us where we are.
Then we had to argue why we should stay under the Dept of Health. Maj-Lis and the Chiro people did a great job on this. Then we wanted them to explain to us why it would be beneficial to us to make this move. They didn’t know the answer to that and would have to get back to us.
So, that is the short version and now Maj-lis is trying to set up a meeting with the Health Commissioner for both of us to meet with him. So, we wait and use this time to rally the troops and plan our attack if it should come to that. Thank you all for what you have done to this point. Debbie
HB2387 Click to read Bill
Attached is a bill being proposed to the TN Legislature this year. This bill is a conglomeration of miscellaneous changes to various laws in this state, submitted by various Departments with in the state to the Governors office. Apparently, someone in either the Dept of Health or Commerce & Insurance feels we (Massage Therapists) need to be moved from the Dept. of Health (Title 63: relative to professions of the Healing Arts) to Commerce and Insurance (Title 62: relative to Professions, Business and Trades). Below is a copy of the exact wording of the section that pertains to our profession, which is on pages 5 & 6 of the above attached bill.
SECTION 11. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, Chapter 18, is transferred in its entirety to Title 62, Chapter 45. SECTION 12. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-45-103, is amended by deleting subsection (j) in its entirety and by substituting instead the following: (j) For administrative purposes, the board shall be attached to the division of regulatory boards in the department of commerce and insurance, referred to as “division” in this chapter.
TO find your legislators click here TN General AssemblyLegislators
Copy of letter to email or read over the phone Opposition letter to HB2387
Right now the bill is in the Senate Gov. Operations committee. It would be very helpful if letters were sent to the members of this committee. Here is a link to this committee Senate Government Operations Committee - TN General Assembly
This bill has to go thru several committees in the House and Senate before it goes to a vote in either Chamber. Time is on our side at this junction and this is our opportunity to get these Sections amended out of this bill. Every time it goes to a committee we need to contact those committee members to express our desires to amend until we achieve our goal.
I am continuing to follow the bill and will update this page as needed to inform you. Please check this site often.
Below are the Talking Points that accompanied this bill when it was presented to the Govenor. As you will see these are quite disturbing to those of us in this profession.
SB 2249/HB 2387 is part of Governor Haslam's legislative package this year. The administration has given the General Assembly the following talking points below for moving Massage Licensure from the Department of Health Related Boards to the Department of Commerce and Insurance:
• Massage therapy often occurs in conjunction with cosmetology services and in cosmetology shops (salons and spas). It would seem appropriate to have all of these regulatory programs placed in the same governing body rather than being regulated by two different departments
• Allowing one department to house programs that frequently regulate the same business is an effective way to simplify the regulatory process and streamline government.
• Most of the regulation of massage therapist is relative to preventing the inappropriate touching of a client and is not related to the delivery of health services.
In regard to the justification for moving MLB to Commerce & Insurance, I have researched the HRB website and discovered that only (approximately) 16% of massage establishments are in hair salons. Approximately 84% are in some type of therapeutic/healthcare/clinical setting. This negates their argument entirely.
I have also been informed that some of those working in a therapeutic/healthcare/clinical setting could loose their jobs if this bill should pass as written because in some of these facilities they have to maintain a license under the Dept of Health in order for their employer to file insurance for the work they do.
If this bill passes as written we would lose our Impared Professional Services Program that we currently have thru
Lighthouse Professional Services, Inc.and the Investigative Services would be limited compared to what we now have thru the Dept. of Health.
Our legislators need to be informed of the above information. Please add this to your letters or phone call message.
TMTA Spring Workshop 2012
April 13, 14, & 15
Cheryl Chapman Educator
Cancer, HIV, Hospice
Cheryl Chapman is a pioneer in massage for Cancer and Mastectomy. An RN since 1965, certified in massage in 1988 she combined her extensive nursing experience of 23 years as an Oncology nurse, Hospice, HIV/AIDS, Cardiac and PostPartum nurse with her wide-ranging knowledge of massage and she produced a comprehensive hands-on training program. Cheryl studied Chinese medicine & massage in NY and China. In 1999 Cheryl became Holistic Nurse Certified (HNC), which further enriched her program. Director of Professional Massage Therapy Associates, specializing in massage for Cancer, Mastectomy, Breast surgeries, Cardio, Hospice, Pre/Post Natal, Infant and Baby instruciton, Geriatrics and Relaxation Massage.
After completing massage school, Cheryl saw a need for continuing education for Cancer training. In 1990 she taught her first class and has expanded her education program since then.
Approved as a continuing education provider by the National Certified Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork sinced 1992, Cheryl began teaching continuing education classes at national conferences, conventions, and massage schools through out the US in 1990. She also consults with massage schools, organizations and spas.
Cheryl is a Professional trainer to destination and day Spas throught the country. Elizabeth Arden was the first to offer specialized Spa services to women with cancer, mastectomy and breast surgeries. Since then spas have begun to add a special program for people living with cancer.
Cheryl is a breast health advocate & teacher & lectures on breast health nationally. She is the author of "THE HAPPY BREAST BOOK" and the creator of "PHLUFF THE GIRLS" for good breast health.
TMTA Spring Workshop 2012
April 13, 14 & 15
Best Western Plus
Morristown, TN
is available on our Links page.
Please see this important information.
is NOT currently up-to-date. If you click on the date "number" for a particular
event, it will give you a description of that days events.
It has come to our attention that our "Locate a Massage Therapist" section of our website may not
have the info you want in there for the public to see.
Please click on "Locate a Massage Therapist", find your city and check to see the information that is
listed for you. If it is not listed as you wish, please go to the "Contact Us" section of the site and send
us the corrections you wish to make. For the safety of our members, we will be deleting the street
address from this section in the near future. We have also realized that 'someone out there' is
collecting our email addresses to send spam, so your email address will also be deleted in the near
future.
We have edited our application form to correct this problem in the future. We apologize for any
inconvenience this may have caused you.
The TMTA has purchased a new program to do mass e-mailings. We will be using this to send notifications of the latest newsletter, upcoming events, deadline dates for workshop registration, etc. We can no longer send the newsletter as an attachment, so your email will give instructions on how to retrieve it from the web site using your member # and password.
If you have changed your email address and have not contacted TMTA with that information you will not be able to receive the newsletter if you have opted to receive it via email. Please send your name and new email address to Debbie Hicks ddhickslmt2@comcast.net with “new email address” in the subject line. We ‘thank you’ for your cooperation in this matter.
