Massage therapy.

Existing law, the Massage Therapy Act, until January 1, 2021, provides for the certification and regulation of massage therapists and massage practitioners by the California Massage Therapy Council. Existing law requires an applicant for certification as a massage therapist to complete 500 hours of education from an approved school, and requires the council to develop policies, procedures, rules, or bylaws governing the requirements and process for the approval and unapproval of massage schools. This bill would instead require the council to develop policies, procedures, rules, or bylaws governing the requirements and process for approving, denying approval of, imposing corrective action on, or unapproving schools. The bill would establish specified timelines for the approval of schools, including requiring the council to approve a school, propose to deny approval of a school, or notify the school that corrective action is required on or before one year from the date the council receives an initial application. The bill would authorize a school to appeal the council's final decision to deny approval of the school and would require the council to hear the appeal within a specified time period. The bill would require the council to note on its internet website the date that a letter proposing to deny a school's application for approval or reapproval or requesting corrective action has been sent to the school and the final outcome of the proposed action, as specified. The bill would also require a school offering a professional massage therapy program that has not been approved by the council to notify, and obtain a signed confirmation from, each student that the student has been notified that the school is not approved by the council and that education completed at the school cannot be used to satisfy any of the requirements for certification as a massage therapist or massage practitioner in California.