H-1585.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1868

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Representatives Backlund, Dyer and Cody

Read first time 02/11/97.  Referred to Committee on Health Care.

Exempting somatic educators from regulation as massage practitioners.

    AN ACT Relating to somatic education; amending RCW 18.108.050; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 18.108.050 and 1995 c 198 s 16 are each amended to read as follows:

    This chapter does not apply to:

    (1) An individual giving massage to members of his or her immediate family;

    (2) The practice of a profession by individuals who are licensed, certified, or registered under other laws of this state and who are performing services within their authorized scope of practice;

    (3) Massage practiced at the athletic department of any institution maintained by the public funds of the state, or any of its political subdivisions;

    (4) Massage practiced at the athletic department of any school or college approved by the department by rule using recognized national professional standards;

    (5) Students enrolled in an approved massage school, approved program, or approved apprenticeship program, practicing massage techniques, incidental to the massage school or program and supervised by the approved school or program.  Students must identify themselves as a student when performing massage services on members of the public.  Students may not be compensated for the massage services they provide;

(6) Individuals engaged in the practice of somatic education through nationally recognized organizations as determined by the secretary.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  The department of health shall monitor the effects, if any, on the public health and safety of the exemption provided in RCW 18.108.050(6).  The department shall report to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 1999, any instances of somatic educators violating RCW 18.108.085(3) with recommendations, if any, for regulatory or statutory changes.

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