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SB39 • 2026

FEES/LICENSES/PERMITS: Provides for the licensed profession of massage therapy. (8/1/26) (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

FEES/LICENSES/PERMITS: Provides for the licensed profession of massage therapy. (8/1/26) (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Beth Mizell
Last action
2026-05-25
Official status
Sent to Governor
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Massage Therapy Licensing Law

This bill establishes a provisional licensing system for massage therapists who graduate from Louisiana-based schools, allowing them to work under supervision at established businesses while they apply for full licensure.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates a provisional license for new massage therapy graduates in Louisiana.
  • Limits the provisional license to one three-month term and does not allow renewal.
  • Requires businesses employing provisionally licensed therapists to inform clients about their status before providing services.
  • Specifies that provisionally licensed therapists must work under a fully licensed therapist at an established business.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Massage therapy graduates from Louisiana-based schools
  • Businesses hiring massage therapists with provisional licenses

Terms To Know

Provisional License
A temporary license given to new massage therapy graduates, valid for three months.
Established Massage Therapy Business
A business that has a fully licensed massage therapist on staff and is registered with the board.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens after the provisional license expires.
  • It is unclear how many businesses will be affected by this new licensing requirement.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Adopted

Plain English: SCASB39 2810 743 SENATE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and International Affairs to Original Senate Bill No.

  • SCASB39 2810 743 SENATE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and International Affairs to Original Senate Bill No.
  • 39 by Senator Mizell 1 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 1 2 On page 1, line 2, change "amend and reenact" to "enact" 3 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 2 4 On page 1, line 4, after "client;" insert "to provide for terms and conditions;" 5 AMENDMENT NO.
Draft

Plain English: SCASB39 2810 732 SENATE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and International Affairs to Original Senate Bill No.

  • SCASB39 2810 732 SENATE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and International Affairs to Original Senate Bill No.
  • 39 by Senator Mizell 1 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 1 2 On page 1, line 2, change "amend and reenact" to "enact" 3 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 2 4 On page 1, line 4, after "client;" insert "to provide for terms and conditions;" 5 AMENDMENT NO.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-25 H

    Signed by the Speaker of the House.

  2. 2026-05-21 S

    Sent to the Governor by the Secretary of the Senate.

  3. 2026-05-20 S

    Enrolled. Signed by the President of the Senate.

  4. 2026-05-19 S

    Received from the House without amendments.

  5. 2026-05-19 H

    Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 98, nays 0. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

  6. 2026-05-18 H

    Scheduled for floor debate on 05/19/2026.

  7. 2026-05-18 H

    Read by title, passed to 3rd reading.

  8. 2026-05-13 H

    Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

  9. 2026-05-12 H

    Reported favorably (10-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

  10. 2026-03-23 H

    Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.

  11. 2026-03-18 H

    Received in the House from the Senate, read by title, lies over under the rules.

  12. 2026-03-17 S

    Read by title, passed by a vote of 37 yeas and 0 nays, and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

  13. 2026-03-16 S

    Read by title. Committee amendments read and adopted. Ordered engrossed and passed to third reading and final passage.

  14. 2026-03-11 S

    Reported with amendments.

  15. 2026-03-09 S

    Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and International Affairs.

  16. 2026-02-10 S

    Prefiled and under the rules provisionally referred to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and International Affairs.

Official Summary Text

FEES/LICENSES/PERMITS: Provides for the licensed profession of massage therapy. (8/1/26) (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
2026 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE BILL NO. 39
BY SENATOR MIZELL
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 37:3556(F), relative to the licensure of massage therapists; to provide for a
3 provisional license for massage therapist graduates; to require notification to a client;
4 to provide for terms and conditions; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 37:3556(F) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
7 §3556. Licensure; qualifications; provisional licensure
8 * * *
9 F. The board shall make available to any graduate of a state-approved,
10 Louisiana-based school for massage therapy a provisional license for immediate
11 use upon graduation at an established massage therapy business registered with
12 the board. The provisional license shall be active for one three-month term and
13 shall not be renewed. Any facility that employs a massage therapist who is
14 operating under a provisional license shall notify a client of the licensure status
15 of a provisionally licensed massage therapist prior to the client receiving any
16 services from that massage therapist. A provisionally licensed massage therapist
17 may only work at a facility that employs a massage therapist licensed pursuant
18 to Subsection A of this Section.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.