Florida Senate - 2011                                     SB 584
       
       
       
       By Senator Flores
       
       
       
       
       38-00375B-11                                           2011584__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to massage therapy; amending s.
    3         480.041, F.S.; authorizing the Board of Massage
    4         Therapy to issue temporary permits to applicants who
    5         meet certain qualifications to practice massage
    6         therapy; providing for the expiration of temporary
    7         permits; providing limitations; amending s. 480.044,
    8         F.S.; providing for a temporary permit fee; providing
    9         an effective date.
   10  
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Subsection (5) is added to section 480.041,
   14  Florida Statutes, to read:
   15         480.041 Massage therapists; qualifications; temporary
   16  permits; licensure; endorsement.—
   17         (5)(a) The board may issue a temporary permit to practice
   18  massage therapy to an applicant who:
   19         1. Graduates from a school that is accredited by an
   20  accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of
   21  Education for the agency’s specialization in accrediting massage
   22  therapy education.
   23         2. Meets all of the qualifications for licensure under this
   24  section, except for paragraphs (1)(c), (4)(b), and (4)(c).
   25         (b) If an applicant desires to practice massage therapy
   26  before becoming licensed by examination and completes a course
   27  of study at a board-approved massage school, the applicant may
   28  apply for a temporary permit in accordance with rules adopted
   29  under this chapter.
   30         (c) A temporary permit is valid for 6 months after issuance
   31  by the board or until the applicant fails the massage licensure
   32  examination or receives a massage therapist license, whichever
   33  occurs first.
   34         (d) An applicant for licensure by examination who practices
   35  under a temporary permit may practice massage therapy only under
   36  the supervision of a licensed massage therapist who has a full,
   37  active, and unencumbered license.
   38         Section 2. Paragraph (m) is added to subsection (1) of
   39  section 480.044, Florida Statutes, to read:
   40         480.044 Fees; disposition.—
   41         (1) The board shall set fees according to the following
   42  schedule:
   43         (m) Temporary permit fee: not to exceed $50.
   44         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.