Massage therapy instruction: fraud: criminal prosecutions.

(1) Existing law provides for the certification of massage practitioners and massage therapists by a massage therapy organization and authorizes the legislative body of a city or county to enact ordinances providing for the licensing and regulation of the business of massage when carried on within the city or county. This bill would provide that a person who provides a certificate, transcript, diploma, or other document, or otherwise affirms that a person has received instruction in massage therapy knowing that the person has not received instruction in massage therapy or knowing that the person has not received massage therapy instruction consistent with that document or affirmation is guilty of a misdemeanor and is subject to specified penalties. By creating a new crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would authorize the arresting law enforcement agency, for any person, who is criminally prosecuted for a violation of law in connection with massage therapy, to provide to the California Massage Therapy Council information concerning the massage therapy instruction received by the person prosecuted. (2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.