HB290 - Alabama Massage Therapy Licensure Act Amendments

• Increases minimum supervised instruction hours for licensure from 500 to 650 hours, with specific breakdowns for anatomy, massage techniques, and electives.

• Requires applicants to be 18 years old with a high school diploma or equivalent and subject to criminal history background checks; eliminates temporary permit references.

• Expands board authority to revoke or suspend licenses and increases penalty for violations from Class C misdemeanor to Class A misdemeanor.

• Provides board members $100 per day compensation for attending sessions and allows excused absences for medical issues, family emergencies, and chair-approved conflicts.

• Increases various license and registration fees including massage therapist licenses from $100 to $200 (initial) and $100 to $300 (renewal), and establishes instructor experience requirement of four years instead of two.