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The Florida Senate

2024 Florida Statutes

Title XXXII REGULATION OF PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS
Chapter 480 MASSAGE THERAPY PRACTICE Entire Chapter
SECTION 033
Definitions.
F.S. 480.033
480.033 Definitions.—As used in this act:
(1) “Advertising medium” means any newspaper; airwave or computer transmission; telephone directory listing, other than an in-column listing consisting only of a name, physical address, and telephone number; business card; handbill; flyer; sign, other than a building directory listing all building tenants and their room or suite numbers; or any other form of written or electronic advertisement.
(2) “Apprentice” means a person approved by the board to study colonic irrigation under the instruction of a licensed massage therapist practicing colonic irrigation.
(3) “Board” means the Board of Massage Therapy.
(4) “Board-approved massage therapy school” means a facility that meets minimum standards for training and curriculum as determined by rule of the board and that is licensed by the Department of Education pursuant to chapter 1005 or the equivalent licensing authority of another state or is within the public school system of this state or a college or university that is eligible to participate in the William L. Boyd, IV, Effective Access to Student Education Grant Program.
(5) “Colonic irrigation” means a method of hydrotherapy used to cleanse the colon with the aid of a mechanical device and water.
(6) “Department” means the Department of Health.
(7) “Designated establishment manager” means a massage therapist who holds a clear and active license without restriction; a health care practitioner licensed under chapter 457; or a physician licensed under chapter 458, chapter 459, or chapter 460, who is responsible for the operation of a massage establishment in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, and who is designated the manager by the rules or practices at the establishment.
(8) “Employee” means any person, including, but not limited to, independent contractors or lessees of a massage establishment, whose duties involve any aspect or capacity of the massage establishment, including, but not limited to, preparing meals and cleaning regardless of whether such person is compensated for the performance of such duties. The term does not include a person who is exclusively engaged in the repair or maintenance of the massage establishment or the delivery of goods to the establishment.
(9) “Establishment” or “massage establishment” means a site or premises, or portion thereof, wherein a massage therapist practices massage therapy.
(10) “Establishment owner” means a person who has ownership interest in a massage establishment. The term includes an individual who holds a massage establishment license, a general partner of a partnership, an owner or officer of a corporation, and a member of a limited liability company and its subsidiaries who holds a massage establishment license.
(11) “Licensure” means the procedure by which a person, hereinafter referred to as a “practitioner,” applies to the board for approval to practice massage therapy or to operate an establishment.
(12) “Massage therapist” means a person licensed as required by this act, who performs massage therapy, including massage therapy assessment, for compensation.
(13) “Massage therapy” means the manipulation of the soft tissues of the human body with the hand, foot, knee, arm, or elbow, regardless of whether such manipulation is aided by hydrotherapy, including colonic irrigation, or thermal therapy; any electrical or mechanical device; or the application to the human body of a chemical or herbal preparation.
(14) “Massage therapy assessment” means the determination of the course of massage therapy treatment.
(15) “Sexual activity” means any direct or indirect contact by any employee or person, or between any employees or persons, with the intent to abuse, humiliate, harass, degrade, or arouse, or gratify the sexual desire of, any employee or person, or which is likely to cause such abuse, humiliation, harassment, degradation, or arousal, or sexual gratification:
(a) With or without the consent of the employee or person.
(b) With or without verbal or nonverbal communication that the sexual activity is undesired.
(c) With or without the use of any device or object.
(d) With or without the occurrence of penetration, orgasm, or ejaculation.
(e) Including, but not limited to, intentional contact with the genitalia, groin, femoral triangle, anus, buttocks, gluteal cleft, breast or nipples, mouth, or tongue.
(f) Including, but not limited to, the intentional removal of any drape without specific written informed consent of the patient.
History.—s. 3, ch. 78-436; ss. 13, 15, 25, 30, 34, 50, 62, ch. 80-406; s. 2, ch. 81-318; s. 76, ch. 83-329; ss. 1, 12, 13, ch. 85-280; s. 50, ch. 89-374; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 169, ch. 94-218; s. 67, ch. 95-144; s. 149, ch. 97-264; s. 116, ch. 2001-277; s. 1025, ch. 2002-387; s. 1, ch. 2013-212; s. 25, ch. 2018-4; s. 85, ch. 2019-3; s. 3, ch. 2019-152; s. 37, ch. 2020-133; s. 4, ch. 2021-143; s. 49, ch. 2022-4; s. 3, ch. 2024-148.