Sections 11 and 12 of House Bill 2387 and Senate Bill 2249, if passed, would move the Massage Licensure Board from Tennessee Department of Health to the Tennessee Department of Commerce. Action is necessary soon to prevent this.

The following sample letter may be edited and used to mail, email, or call your State Representative and State Senator. To find your legislators contact info, go to:    http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/districtmaps/

My name is ______and I have been a licensed massage therapist in Tennessee for ___ years and am opposed to HB 2387/SB 2249.

On page 5 of the bill, Sections 11 and 12 relocates Title 63-18, the Massage Licensure Act of 1995, from the Department of Health Related Boards to the Department of Commerce and Insurance.  I am vehemently opposed to this move for the following reasons:

1. Therapeutic massage is a health profession—not a trade—and massage therapists are health care providers.  Since 1995, our profession has been striving continually—and successfully—for recognition within the medical community.  Many massage therapists now work in healthcare environments, i.e. offices of physicians, physical therapists, chiropractors, and dentists.  Many are employed in hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes.

2. Massage therapy should remain under Title 63 so that healthcare standards set forth in Title 63, Chapter 1 have authority over the massage profession.

3. The massage profession should continue to be regulated within the Health Department in order to best protect the public from unsafe massage therapists.

4. The massage licensure board supports itself entirely from licensure fees; therefore, the move does not save tax dollars, does not streamline state government, and does not reduce duplication of efforts.

We respectfully request that Sections 11 and 12 be deleted in entirety from this bill.  Thank you for your consideration of this important matter.

Sincerely,

[name], LMT #_____