&nbsp;Senate Bill 253 (SB 253) has been introduced in Kansas, proposing statewide licensure for massage therapy, improving public protection and regulatory consistency. Kansas is one of only three states without statewide regulation of massage therapy; forty-five states, along with Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, already licensed massage therapists to ensure consistent education standards and basic public protections. &nbsp;
Without a state license, Kansas therapists must comply with a patchwork of city-by-city ordinances, often paying for multiple local licenses simply to practice across municipal lines. This fragmented system is financially and administratively burdensome for practicing professionals. Establishing statewide licensure would reduce unnecessary barriers while creating consistent standards across Kansas.&nbsp;
Licensure protects the public as well as practitioners, and brings Kansas in line with the vast majority of the nation. Massage therapy is utilized by the US Department of Veteran Affairs as a non-pharmacological option for pain management in states where licensure is required. Under the current unregulated system, Kansas therapist and veterans are left at a disadvantage due to the lack of state wide licensure.&nbsp;
SB 253 offers a solution by establishing clear statewide standards that protect consumers, support professionals, and expand access to the therapeutic care across Kansas.&nbsp;
Please join us in supporting SB 253 and statewide licensure for massage therapists in Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;

SUPPORT SB 253: LICENSING MASSAGE THERAPISTS IN KANSAS

As a practicing massage therapist in Kansas, I am writing to express my strong support for Senate Bill 253 and my hope that it will be heard by the Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare. SB 253 represents a necessary step forward for the massage therapy profession by establishing statewide licensure in Kansas.
Kansas remains one of only three unregulated states without statewide licensure for massage therapy. As a result, many massage therapists must comply with multiple local ordinances, often requiring the purchase of several licenses and adherence to vary requirements across city and county lines. This fragmented system is financially burdensome and creates inconsistencies for practitioners and the public.