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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
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Beth Mizell
Last action
2026-05-29
Official status
Signed by the Governor - Act 452
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Massage Therapy Licensing Law

This law establishes a provisional licensing process for massage therapists who graduate from Louisiana-based state-approved schools, allowing them to work under supervision 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 approved facility.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Massage therapy graduates from Louisiana-based state-approved 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.
State-Approved School
An educational institution recognized by the state of Louisiana for training massage therapists.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law only applies to graduates from Louisiana-based state-approved schools.
  • It does not specify what happens after the provisional license expires.
  • Details about how clients will be notified are not provided in the summary.

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. 2026-05-29 S

    Effective date 8/1/2026.

  2. 2026-05-29 S

    Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 452.

  3. 2026-05-25 H

    Signed by the Speaker of the House.

  4. 2026-05-21 S

    Sent to the Governor by the Secretary of the Senate.

  5. 2026-05-20 S

    Enrolled. Signed by the President of the Senate.

  6. 2026-05-19 S

    Received from the House without amendments.

  7. 2026-05-19 H

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

  8. 2026-05-18 H

    Scheduled for floor debate on 05/19/2026.

  9. 2026-05-18 H

    Read by title, passed to 3rd reading.

  10. 2026-05-13 H

    Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

  11. 2026-05-12 H

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

  12. 2026-03-23 H

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

  13. 2026-03-18 H

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

  14. 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.

  15. 2026-03-16 S

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

  16. 2026-03-11 S

    Reported with amendments.

  17. 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.

  18. 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:
ACT No. 452
Page 1 of 1
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.