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July 14, 2014 — Effective July 1, chiropractic physicians, allopathic physicians, and osteopathic physicians employing licensed massage therapists to perform massage on their patients at their place of practice are exempt from massage establishment licensing and regulation.
HB 1065 by Rep. Kerner (D-Palm Springs) and Sen. Latvala (R-Clearwater) requires owners of massage establishments and all licensed massage therapists to undergo fingerprinting and criminal background checks by Jan. 15, 2015. Those found to have committed certain crimes listed in the bill are barred from initial licensure and existing licenses are subject to emergency suspension. The purpose of the bill is to fight prostitution practiced in massage parlors.
The Florida Chiropractic Association lobby team saw the opportunity to exempt physicians from the massage establishment regulation by successfully amending the bill, achieving a major FCA legislative goal. Because chiropractors and all physicians are already tightly regulated, it was redundant to have this extra layer of regulation and taxation placed upon them.
The FCA thanks the Florida Legislature for its support in this matter and Rep. Dave Kerner and Senator Jack Latvala for their special leadership on this issue. Kudos to the FCA lobby team – Jack Hebert, Guy Spearman, Allison Carvajal, Paul Lambert, Kim Driggers, David Ramba and Todd Lewis – on this accomplishment. Ultimately, it is all FCA members who make possible every forward step.
Source: Florida Chiropractic Association
