Archives

03-07-2018-CCMT-minutes

City of Aurora – Massage Establishment Licensing Stakeholder Meeting

CCMT has secured a second stakeholder meeting with the City of Aurora to discuss a proposed ordinance to license massage establishments. Revised City of Aurora Establishment Licensure Ordinance

City of Aurora – Establishment Licensure Ordinance

The City of Aurora is looking to implement a new Massage Therapy Establishment Licensure Ordinance for the City of Aurora to help combat human trafficking and prostitution facilities.  See the revised Establishment Licensure Ordinance that the City of Aurora is suggesting for approval.  More information to come on the City Council meeting or if you have any concerns on this Ordinance, please address your concerns to www.governmentrelations@co.amtamassage.org or www.president@co.amtamassage.org 

City of Aurora REVISED Establishment Licensure Ordinance

Dora Stakeholder Meeting Announcement

Greetings from the Division of Professions and Occupations:

The Office of Massage Therapy Licensure will hold a Stakeholder Meeting on Wednesday, March 22, 2017, on Massage Therapy Rule 4, Rule 5 and Rule 13. Stakeholder input is crucial to achieving the Department’s missions of consumer protection and effective licensure and enforcement, without unnecessary impediment to the economic market. Please make yourselves heard by joining us at the upcoming stakeholder meeting.

Meeting Information

• Download the official Stakeholder Meeting Notice
• Download the Discussion Document

Three Ways to Participate

1. In Person: Civic Center Plaza, 1560 Broadway, Conference Room 1250C, Denver, CO 80202
2. By Webinar: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/9024779727035040515
3. By Written Comment: Please provide written comments for consideration via email to dora_massagetherapists@state.co.us by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 22 2017 in order to have them included in the official record.

Meeting Format

Attendees may provide written comments, concerns, and proposals to the Director in advance, in person at the meeting, or following the meeting. Participants will be able to discuss topics brought forward during the meeting. Program staff will moderate the discussion to ensure there is an equitable opportunity for all stakeholders who wish to actively participate, and to ensure that comments and suggested changes are collected for the Director’s consideration and future rulemaking.

Note: This meeting is not a formal rulemaking hearing.

Questions: dora_massagetherapists@state.co.us

Letter from the Legislative Alert Network

All AMTA Colorado Members should have received an eMail form the Legislative Alert Network on our around December 14 concerning the increase in the cost of licensure for Massage Therapists in Colorado.  In case you missed it, or our coverage of its contents in our latest Newsletter or Membership eMail, the contents of the item are below.

Dear Massage Therapists and Supporters

Have you paid for the renewal of your license?  Active licenses not renewed by December 31, 2016 will remain active during an extended grace period that will end on March 31, 2017. Licenses not renewed by March 31, 2017 will be expired. There will be no late fee charged for renewals submitted during the grace period of January 1, 2017 through March 31, 2017.

That extra $100 was a surprise to everyone, including CCMT leaders.  DORA was going through a leadership change at the time the renewals came out and has apologized for not giving us advance notice of the change.

We asked for more information on their finances and want to share with you DORA’s answers.

When renewals were sent out two years ago, DORA underestimated the costs of administering the massage therapy licensing.   As a result, they have a deficit for this fiscal year of $467,000. The projected additional deficit if the fees were not raised would be another $661,000 until the next renewal.  By law, a regulated profession must offset the administration costs with their dues. Also, the State Government is required to run at a balanced budget.

The costs of regulation includes the cost of paying for those who handle the paperwork of the 13,583 active licenses, plus the 1323 new licenses for FY 15-16, and 262 endorsement applications. It also covers the 715 complaints, 27 revocations, 17 stipulations, 21 letters of admonition, and 13 other actions (which include cease and desist orders) for the past two years.

We hope this explanation will help in understanding DORA’s increase in massage therapy licensing fees.

Sincerely,

CCMT leaders

We will be having a CCMT teleconference on August 29, 2016 at 8:00 a.m. to discuss DORA’s proposed rule changes.  We have to submit written comments to DORA by the 30th, so please be prepared on this teleconference with any specific comments to the proposed changes.

Here is the call in info:

CO GR/CCMT Teleconference

Mon, Aug 29, 2016 8:00 AM Mountain Daylight Time

You can dial in using your phone.

United States : +1 (224) 501-3412

Access Code: 655-212-605

1560 Broadway, 110D, Denver, CO 80202

Stakeholder Meeting for the First Round of Rulemaking to Clarify Existing Rules and to Implement the Age Requirement in House Bill 16-1320.

The Director of the Office of Massage Therapy Licensure will provide a webcast of this Stakeholder Meeting. *Please register to participate in the meeting via webinar at:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4818205464102293761

The Director of the Office of Massage Therapy Licensure will be considering revisions to clarify the MASSAGE THERAPY LICENSURE RULES AND REGULATIONS (3 CCR 722-1) and to consider rule changes necessitated by the passage of House Bill 16-1320. The discussion will encompass draft versions of rules one through six. Specifically, requirements for minimum age, exams, endorsement & reinstatement applications, and hour & coursework for massage therapy schools.

The full stakeholder Meeting Notice and draft versions of rules one through six can be found here https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8aw__JRFQHAQ292UnEzSzhfVmM/view

Take a moment to subscribe to our new advocacy action tool – ENGAGE to remain in the loop regarding any other massage therapy alerts in our area!

HB16-1320 FAQ Document for the 5/16/2016 DORA Stakeholder Meeting

DORA has released an updated Frequently Asked Questions document regarding Colorado HB16-1320.  The information in this document should be of particular interest to any members that will be attending the DORA Stakeholder Meeting on Monday, May 16, 2016.  Click here to read the FAQ document.

DORA Stakeholder Meeting Announcement

DORA has released an Amended Notice stating there will be a Stakeholder Meeting to Receive Input Regarding Colorado House Bill 16-1320 on Monday, May 16, 2016 at 9:00.  Click here for full details and participant information.

Latest Update from CCMT on CO HB16-1320

CCMT has released their final update on Colorado HB16-1320.  Click here to read it.

CO HB16-1320: Latest Update from CCMT

Click here to read the latest update from CCMT on Colorado HB16-1320.

CO HB16-1320: Latest Update from National

We have received the latest update on Colorado HB16-1320 from National.  Click here to read it.

CO HB16-1320: Latest Fact Sheet Concerning the Bill

A new Fact Sheet regarding Colorado House Bill 16-1320 has been provided to us.  Click here to read it.

Colorado House Bill 16-1320 Has Passed!

Colorado HB16-1320 has passed on its 3rd reading in the Senate. There was a 3rd reading amendment added that reinserted language stating that local entities cannot enact and enforce a local ordinance on massage therapy. The amendment also stipulated that a local government can’t go inspect a Massage Therapist who is a sole proprietor who works out of their home residence.

CCMT Update Regarding Colorado HB16-1320

Click here to read the latest CCMT Letter regarding Colorado House Bill 16-1320.

Massage Therapy Legislative Awareness Day at the Colorado State Capital

First and foremost, a huge THANK YOU and round of applause to our volunteers this year for Massage Therapy Legislative Awareness Day that took place April 20, 2016 at the State Capitol.  We had a great turnout: our 8 volunteers gave 95 chair massages in 4 hours!!!  The breakdown this year was 79 Lobbyists and Legislative Staff, 7 Capitol Workers (Sergeant of Arms, Electricians, and Maintenance), 4 Department Liaisons, 2 Senators, 2 Representatives and  a fellow volunteer in need.  A great time was had by all and we couldn’t have done it without our outstanding volunteers taking time out of their busy lives and practices.  Thank you all so much!  We look forward to next year!

• Christen Cutter-Corvington, AMTA CO Government Relations Chair
• Laura Embleton, ABMP GR Director
• Tami Schumacher, AMTA CO President
• Jaime Smith, AMTA CO Membership Chair
• Shelly Cox, AMTA CO Treasurer
• Troy Lavigne, AMTA CO Education Director

Legislative Alert: HB16-1320: Concerning the Regulation of Massage Therapy to Modify Practices that are Linked to Criminal Behavior

Susan Grubb (a former GR Chair, now on the GR Committee) has put together a document in regards to HB16-1320.  Click here to read the document as it contains some very useful information regarding the bill and aims to clarify several misunderstandings about it.

RE:  House Bill 16-1320: Concerning the Regulation of Massage Therapy to Modify Practices that are Linked to Criminal Behavior

Many people are interested in, and have been asking questions about HB16-1320: Concerning the Regulation of Massage Therapy to Modify Practices that are Linked to Criminal Behavior

Click here to read the latest Fact Sheet that DORA has released on this bill.  If you have any further questions, contact our GR Chair, Christen Cutter-Corvington (contact information above).

Click here to read all of the January Assembly Session Highlights provided by Colorado Legislative Services, LLC

Massage Being Used as a Cover for Prostitution & Human Trafficking

The Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) has announced that they are interested in running legislation regarding the list of exemptions from the Colorado Massage Therapy Practice Act.  DORA is working with the Colorado Attorney General’s Office (AG) to address an increasing problem of illicit activity (such as prostitution and human trafficking) being done using Massage Therapy as a cover.

Dora is focused particularly on the list of exemptions for licensure that are in our Practice Act.  They are thinking about running legislation that would remove these exemptions from state statue and instead give DORA the authority to list exemptions for licensure in rule.  Their argument is that this will give them more flexibility to specifically protect legitimate exclusions while also being able to address the so-called “gaming” of the system.  We should know more specifics within the next month, so please look for updates from us.