Stop S.221 & H.350 An Act Regulating Alternative Healing Therapies (formerly S.168)

The MA Attorney General, Maura Healey, has redrafted S.168, An Act Regulating Bodyworks, and refiled it as, “An Act Regulating Alternative Healing Therapies.” The identical bill has been filed in both the House and the Senate to ensure its passage. 

S.221 and H.350 requires the state to establish standards and licensing for the practice and teaching of holistic modalities under the control and direction of a board predominantly populated by massage therapists, and to restrict the teaching of the holistic modalities to schools licensed by the state at a cost of more than $8,000 for an application.

This bill is being presented as a solution to Human Trafficking and Prostitution.  According to the MA Attorney General’s Office: “The bill creates a regulatory structure for alternative healing therapies to prevent criminals from using these currently unregulated practices as fronts for human trafficking,”

S.221 and H.350 will negatively affect thousands of sole practitioners and instructors from a wide array of disciplines such as Reiki, Qi Gong, Asian Bodywork Therapy, Trager, Feldenkrais, Ayurvedic Therapies, Reflexology, Polarity Therapy, Rolf Structural Integration, Body Mind Centering, Acupressure, Energy and Somatic Healing Practices who are now exempt from massage licensure under current law.

These requirements would create significant hardships and force alternative healthcare practitioners and teachers of these modalities to close their practices, eliminate freedom of choice in alternative healthcare for the people of Massachusetts.

Detrimental aspects of this bill:

o  This bill uses occupational licensing laws to attempt to solve a criminal law enforcement issue - these subjects are completely separate and should not be lumped together;

o  This bill threatens the public’s ability to access the alternative health practitioners of their choice;

o This bill seeks to have holistic modalities taught only at state licensed schools with curriculum meeting state established standards.

o It creates an unnecessary and burdensome level of compliance for Holistic Healthcare Practitioners.

Please protect the public’s right to access alternative and complementary healthcare.

Please oppose S.221 and H.350

Thank you!