<p>Massage Therapy is Currently regulated under the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmotology and Barbering, which has been under threat of being 'Sunsetted', or terminated. House Bill 3000 extends the Sunset date to 2031, protecting the regulation of massage therapists in Oklahoma. HB 3000 also eliminates the Massage Therapy Advisory Board, but adds a Massage Therapist member to the regulatory board, providing the therapists in Oklahoma with a seat at the table and the ability to represent the profession, as opposed to only an advisory role. The bill is currently on Governor Stitt's desk awaiting his signature.&nbsp;</p>
<p>We urge you to reach out to Governor Stitt and request his prioritize enacting HB 3000 into law.</p>


As a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) in the state of Oklahoma, I would like to strongly express my support of HB 3000, a bill to extend the sunset date of the State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, which massage therapy is licensed under. Established in 1943 and numbering some 110,000 members, AMTA advocates for fair and consistent professional licensing in all 50 states, promotes public education on the efficacy of massage therapy, fosters professional ethics and standards, and supports the advancement of clinical massage therapy research. We represent more than 1,000 Massage Therapists in Oklahoma.

Massage therapy has a growing presence within the US healthcare system. Massage therapy has been singled-out as an effective non-pharmacologic approach to pain management, as shown by a significant body of clinical research, and supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the American College of Physicians, The American Academy of Family Medicine and The Joint Commission. Minnesota’s own Mayo Clinic has joined MD Anderson Cancer Center, Duke Integrative Medicine, the Cleveland Clinic and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, among other institutions, in integrating massage therapy into patient care for multiple conditions.

Massage therapy is also now being utilized by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to treat the spectrum of pain in veterans (establishing GS-5 through GS-9 positions for state licensed massage therapists), covered as an optional supplemental benefit for state licensed massage therapists through multiple Medicare Advantage plans and has been a focal point of testimony on the efficacy of massage therapy before the United States Senate.

In addition to providing public protection through state regulation, HB 3000 provides a position on the board for one Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT), giving massage therapists a seat at the table in lieu of the current advisory-only role.

I urge you to sign HB 3000 and help uphold the standards of our profession, as well as ensuring public protection. 
Thank you for your consideration,

Support HB 3000