SPONSOR:

Sen. Poore & Rep. K. Williams

Rep. Michael Smith

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE BILL NO. 277

AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 53, TITLE 24 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO MASSAGE AND BODYWORK.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend § 5309, Title 24 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 5309. Qualifications of applicants for certification as massage technicians.

(a) An On or before December 31, 2024, an applicant who is applying for certification as a massage technician

under this chapter shall submit evidence, verified by oath and satisfactory to the Board, that such person meets the requirements of § 5308(a)(5)-(11) and (e) of this title and:

(1) Is at least 18 years of age;

(2) Has completed, as a minimum, a 300-hour course of supervised in-class study of massage that includes a curriculum of no less than:

a. Sixty hours of anatomy and physiology;

b. One hundred-forty hours of theory and technique;

c. Seventy-five hours of elective courses in the field of massage therapy;

d. Twenty-five hours of ethics, law and contraindications.

(3) Has passed a state-certified examination in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training; and possesses current CPR certification. An exception from current CPR certification shall be allowed for persons who have lower limb amputee status.

(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, an applicant may apply for a temporary massage technician

certification under this section after completion of a 200-hour course of supervised in-class study of massage that includes a curriculum of no less than:

(1) Fifty hours of anatomy and physiology;

(2) One hundred and ten hours of theory and technique;

(3) Twenty-five hours of ethics, law, and contraindications; and

(4) Fifteen hours of elective courses.

A temporary massage technician certification, which is subject to all the other provisions and requirements of

this chapter, shall be valid for a period of no more than 1 year and may not be renewed or reissued, and shall not be eligible for inactive status.

(c) Where the Board has found to its satisfaction that an applicant has been intentionally fraudulent, or that false

information intentionally has been supplied, it shall report its findings to the Attorney General for further action.

(d) Where the application of a person has been refused or rejected and such applicant feels that the Board has acted

without justification; has imposed higher or different standards for that applicant than for other applicants or licensees; or has in some way contributed to or caused the failure of such application, the applicant may appeal to the Superior Court.

(e) All individuals licensed to practice as massage technicians in this State shall be required to be fingerprinted by

the State Bureau of Identification, at the licensee’s expense, for the purposes of performing subsequent criminal background checks. Licensees shall submit by January 1, 2014, at the applicant’s expense, fingerprints and other necessary information in order to obtain a criminal background check.

(f) After December 31, 2024, the Board may not issue an initial certification to practice as a certified massage

technician.

(1) All applications for initial certification received by December 31, 2024, shall be processed and issued to applicants who meet the qualifications set forth in this section.

(2) In order to remain certified, all certified massage technicians must renew their certificates as specified in § 5312(a)-(d) of this title.  

SYNOPSIS

Under this bill, the Board of Massage and Bodywork may not issue initial certifications to practice as a certified massage technician for applications received after December 31, 2024.

Author: Senator Poore