Bill Text: NJ A2065 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Allows New Jersey Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy to accept alternative proof of education for licensure of current practitioners.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-09 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Regulated Professions Committee [A2065 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-A2065-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
218th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2018 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman JOE HOWARTH
District 8 (Atlantic, Burlington and Camden)
SYNOPSIS
Allows New Jersey Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy to accept alternative proof of education for licensure of current practitioners.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning licensure of massage and bodywork therapists and amending P.L.2007, c.337.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 20 of P.L.2007, c.337 (C.45:11-75) is amended to read as follows:
20. a. For 360 days after the date procedures are established by the board for applying for licensure under the provisions of P.L.2007, c.337 (C.45:11-68 et al.), any person who engaged in the full-time practice, as determined by the board, of massage and bodywork therapies for two years preceding the enactment date of P.L.2007, c.337 (C.45:11-68 et al.), or in the part-time practice, as determined by the board, of massage and bodywork therapies for five years preceding the enactment date of P.L.2007, c.337 (C.45:11-68 et al.), and has successfully completed a minimum of 200 hours of education or training in massage or bodywork therapies as determined by the board, may acquire a license to practice massage and bodywork therapies without satisfying either the education or examination requirement of section 8 of P.L.1999, c.19 (C.45:11-60).
b. If a person applying for licensure, in accordance with the provisions of subsection a. of this section, has completed the minimum education or training required pursuant to subsection a. of this section, but cannot produce records reflecting the specific amount of that education or training, the board may accept other evidence of the completion of the requisite education or training.
(cf: P.L.2007, c.337, s.20)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill allows the New Jersey Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy to accept alternative proof of education or training for licensure of current practitioners.
Under current law, a person applying for licensure as a licensed massage and bodywork therapist who is currently a practitioner of massage and bodywork therapy may become licensed without meeting certain education or training and examination requirements, if that person meets certain experience requirements, and has completed a minimum of 200 hours of education or training in massage or bodywork therapies. The bill provides that if a person applying for licensure has completed but cannot specifically demonstrate the minimum 200 hours of education or training in massage or bodywork therapies, the board may accept other evidence of completion of the requisite education or training.
This bill is providing an alternative route for current practitioners of massage and bodywork therapy to be grandfathered into the new licensing scheme for massage and bodywork therapists. Many current practitioner applicants who would be otherwise eligible for licensure cannot demonstrate the completion of 200 hours of education or training in massage or bodywork therapies, because the massage and bodywork therapy school they attended is no longer in operation and cannot provide the appropriate transcripts. This bill allows the board to consider alternative evidence in these circumstances.
