Read the full stored bill text
Wisconsin Legislature: AB1013: Bill Text
Skip navigation
Home
Documents
Senate
Assembly
Committees
Service Agencies
Docs
Options
Help
2025 Biennium
Statutes
Admin. Rules
Indices
Miscellaneous
Archives
Home
Bill, Rule, and Appointment Histories
Senators
Representatives
Committees
Text of Introduced Proposals
Amendment Text
Acts
Veto Messages
Enrolled Bills
Votes
Assembly and Senate Floor Calendars
Schedule of Committee Activities
Assembly and Senate Journals
Committee Records (ROCPs)
Legislative Rules
All Session-Related Documents
Subject Index to Acts
Subject Index to Legislation
Subject Index to Journals
Author Index to Legislation
Subject Index to Clearinghouse Rules
Miscellaneous Budget Documents
Executive Orders
Rulings of the Chair
Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules
Opinions of the Attorney General
Town Law Forms
Law
Districts
Session
Drafting Files
Feeds
Preferences
Show tree
Hide tree
Feedback
Help
Home
Senate Home
Senators
Committees
Session
Chief Clerk
Sergeant at Arms
Civics Education
Human Resources
Assembly Home
Representatives
Committees
Session
Chief Clerk
Sergeant at Arms
Human Resources
Schedule
Joint
Senate
Assembly
Study
Legislative Audit Bureau
Legislative Council
Legislative Fiscal Bureau
Legislative Human Resources Office
Legislative Reference Bureau
Legislative Technology Services Bureau
Menu
»
2025
»
Related Documents
»
Proposal Text
»
AB1013: Bill Text
Up
Up
2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-5590/1
MED:skw
2025 ASSEMBLY BILL 1013
February 6, 2026 - Introduced by Representatives
Brooks
,
Behnke
,
Knodl
and
O'Connor
, cosponsored by Senators
James
and
Wall
. Referred to Committee on Regulatory Licensing Reform.
AB1013,2,2
1
An Act
to renumber and amend
460.02, 460.03, 460.04 (2) (a), 460.07 (1) and
2
460.07 (2);
to amend
440.03 (13) (c) 2., 440.094 (2) (a) (intro.), 440.15, 460.04
3
(2) (e), 460.04 (2) (g), 460.05 (1) (h) 1., 460.05 (4), 460.08, 460.095 (4) (intro.),
4
460.10 (1) (a), 460.10 (2), 460.11, 460.12 (1), 460.12 (2), 460.12 (3), 460.12 (4),
5
460.13, 460.14 (2) (b), 460.14 (2) (c), 460.14 (2m) (intro.) and (a), 460.14 (4),
6
460.145, 460.17 (2) (a) 1. and 460.17 (2) (a) 2.;
to repeal and recreate
460.06,
7
460.07 (title) and 460.12 (5) (b);
to create
440.03 (9) (bm), 440.03 (13) (b) 38g.,
8
440.03 (13) (c) 1. n., 440.08 (2) (a) 46s., 460.01 (2e), 460.01 (4g), 460.01 (4m),
9
460.01 (4r), 460.01 (5), 460.01 (5m), 460.01 (8), 460.01 (9), 460.02 (2m), 460.03
10
(2m), 460.04 (2) (a) 2., 460.04 (2) (h), 460.04 (2) (i), 460.04 (2) (j), 460.04 (2) (k),
11
460.055, 460.07 (1m), 460.095 (5), 460.135 and 460.14 (2) (k) to (m) of the
12
statutes;
relating to:
licensure and regulation of establishments providing
1
massage therapy or bodywork therapy, the practice of massage therapy or
2
bodywork therapy, and granting rule-making authority.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill provides for licensure of massage therapy or bodywork therapy establishments and makes other changes related to the regulation and practice of massage therapy or bodywork therapy.
The bill requires an establishment providing massage therapy or bodywork therapy to obtain a license granted by the Massage Therapy and Bodywork Therapy Affiliated Credentialing Board. The bill defines massage therapy or bodywork therapy establishment to mean a place of business held out to the public where massage therapy or bodywork therapy is regularly practiced or proposed to be regularly practiced, as further established by the board, but specifically including mobile massage therapy or bodywork therapy services and massage therapy or bodywork therapy schools. The bill exempts from the licensure requirement locations to which a licensed massage therapist or bodywork therapist who operates an out-call massage service travels and health care facilities providing massage therapy or bodywork therapy that are licensed or approved by the Department of Health Services. The bill provides for three types of establishment licenses: 1) a sole practitioner license, which entitles a single massage therapist or bodywork therapist to practice massage therapy or bodywork therapy from the location designated in the license; 2) a mobile massage therapy or bodywork therapy license, which entitles one or more massage therapists or bodywork therapists to practice massage therapy or bodywork therapy or offer to do so from the vehicle, mobile unit, or mobile facility or structure covered by the license; and 3) a multiple practitioner license, which entitles two or more massage therapists or bodywork therapists
to practice massage therapy or bodywork therapy from the location designated in the license.
The bill includes a number of requirements to be satisfied in order for an establishment to be granted a license, including that a responsible manager be designated, that the responsible manager pass an examination on state laws and administrative rules governing massage therapy and bodywork therapy, that each owner and responsible manager not have a disqualifying criminal record, and that the establishment pass a prelicensing inspection, if required by the board.
The bill includes a number of requirements for licensed establishments and requires the board to establish standards of professional conduct in massage therapy establishments and minimum standards and requirements concerning the maintenance, equipment, plans, and specifications for licensed massage therapy or bodywork therapy establishments as they relate to the public health, safety, and welfare, which may allow for inspections, in addition to those required for initial licensure or renewal of a license, in response to a complaint about an establishment or massage therapist or bodywork therapist.
The bill also modifies a number of requirements, prohibitions, and grounds for professional discipline that exist under current law, including adding references to human trafficking to provisions on mandatory reporting, automatic revocation, and disqualifying offenses, specifically prohibiting any individual from having sexual contact or sexual intercourse on the premises of a massage therapy establishment or from practicing massage therapy or bodywork therapy in the nude or in clothing designed to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of a client or other individual, and making other modifications to account for the licensing and regulation of establishments under the bill.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
AB1013,1
1
Section
1
.
440.03 (9) (bm) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1013,3,3
2
440.03
(9)
(bm) The department may do any of the following with respect to
3
fees for massage therapy or bodywork therapy establishment licenses:
AB1013,3,5
4
1. Establish reduced fees in the case of establishments under common
5
ownership.
AB1013,3,8
6
2. Establish reduced fees or waive fees for sole practitioner establishment
7
licenses under s. 460.055 (1) (a) 2. a. or mobile massage therapy or bodywork
8
therapy licenses under s. 460.055 (1) (a) 2. b. owned by sole practitioners.
AB1013,2
9
Section
2
.
440.03 (13) (b) 38g. of the statutes is created to read:
AB1013,3,11
10
440.03
(13)
(b) 38g. Massage therapy or bodywork therapy establishment
11
responsible manager or owner.
AB1013,3
12
Section
3
.
440.03 (13) (c) 1. n. of the statutes is created to read:
AB1013,3,15
13
440.03
(13)
(c) 1. n. A responsible manager, as defined in s. 460.01 (5m), for or
14
owner, as defined in s. 460.01 (5), of a massage therapy or bodywork therapy
15
establishment.
AB1013,4
16
Section
4
.
440.03 (13) (c) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1013,4,5
1
440.03
(13)
(c) 2. The department of justice may submit the fingerprint cards,
2
and the department of justice shall submit the fingerprint cards of all applicants
3
identified in subd. 1. c. to
L.
n.
, to the federal bureau of investigation for the purpose
4
of verifying the identity of the persons fingerprinted and obtaining records of their
5
criminal arrests and convictions.
AB1013,5
6
Section
5
.
440.08 (2) (a) 46s. of the statutes is created to read:
AB1013,4,8
7
440.08
(2)
(a) 46s. Massage therapy or bodywork therapy establishment:
8
March 1 of each odd-numbered year.
AB1013,6
9
Section
6
.
440.094 (2) (a) (intro.) of the statutes, as affected by
2025
10
Wisconsin Act 17
, is amended to read:
AB1013,4,17
11
440.094
(2)
(a) (intro.) Notwithstanding ss. 441.06 (4), 441.09 (3) (b), 446.02
12
(1), 447.03 (1) and (2), 448.03 (1) (a), (b), and (c) and (1m), 448.51 (1), 448.61, 448.76,
13
448.961 (1) and (2), 449.02 (1), 450.03 (1), 451.04 (1), 455.02 (1m), 457.04 (4), (5), (6),
14
and (7), 459.02 (1), 459.24 (1), and 460.02
(1m)
, a health care provider may provide
15
services within the scope of the credential that the health care provider holds and
16
the department shall grant the health care provider a temporary credential to
17
practice under this section if all of the following apply:
AB1013,7
18
Section
7
.
440.15 of the statutes, as affected by
2025 Wisconsin Act 76
, is
19
amended to read:
AB1013,5,3
20
440.15
No fingerprinting.
Except as provided under ss. 440.03 (13) (c),
21
441.51 (5) (a) 5., 447.50 (3) (a) 5., 448.980 (5) (b) 3., 448.985 (3) (a) 4., 448.987 (3) (a)
22
5. a. and (5) (b) 2. a., 448.988 (3) (a) 5., 448.9887 (3) (b) 3. and (5) (b) 2. a., 448.9889
23
(3) (a) 9., 450.071 (3) (c) 9., 450.075 (3) (c) 9., 455.50 (3) (e) 4. and (f) 4., 457.50 (3) (b)
24
3. and (5) (b) 2. a.,
and
459.70 (3) (b) 1.,
460.055 (1) (a) 4.,
the department or a
1
credentialing board may not require that an applicant for a credential or a
2
credential holder be fingerprinted or submit fingerprints in connection with the
3
department’s or the credentialing board’s credentialing.
AB1013,8
4
Section
8
.
460.01 (2e) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1013,5,7
5
460.01
(2e)
“Licensed massage therapist or bodywork therapist” means an
6
individual licensed under this chapter as a massage therapist or bodywork
7
therapist.
AB1013,9
8
Section
9
.
460.01 (4g) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1013,5,12
9
460.01
(4g)
(a) “Massage therapy or bodywork therapy establishment” means
10
a place of business held out to the public where massage therapy or bodywork
11
therapy is regularly practiced or proposed to be regularly practiced, as further
12
established by the board under s. 460.04 (2) (k), and includes all of the following:
AB1013,5,13
13
(a) A mobile massage therapy or bodywork therapy service.
AB1013,5,14
14
(b) A massage therapy or bodywork therapy school described in s. 460.095.
AB1013,10
15
Section
10
.
460.01 (4m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1013,5,19
16
460.01
(4m)
“Mobile massage therapy or bodywork therapy service” means a
17
service whereby one or more licensed massage therapists or bodywork therapists
18
work out of a vehicle or other mobile unit or travel to events using their own mobile
19
structure or facility to provide massage therapy or bodywork therapy.
AB1013,11
20
Section
11
.
460.01 (4r) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1013,6,2
21
460.01
(4r)
“Out-call massage service” means a service whereby a licensed
22
massage therapist or bodywork therapist travels only to clients' homes, offices, or
23
other locations to provide massage therapy or bodywork therapy in those locations.
1
“Out-call massage service” does not include a service that satisfies the definition of
2
mobile massage therapy or bodywork therapy service.
AB1013,12
3
Section
12
.
460.01 (5) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1013,6,5
4
460.01
(5)
“Owner” has the meaning given by the affiliated credentialing
5
board by rule under s. 460.04 (2) (i).
AB1013,13
6
Section
13
.
460.01 (5m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1013,6,9
7
460.01
(5m)
“Responsible manager” means an individual designated as the
8
responsible manager for a massage therapy or bodywork therapy establishment
9
under s. 460.135 (1).
AB1013,14
10
Section
14
.
460.01 (8) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1013,6,12
11
460.01
(8)
“Sexually oriented business” has the meaning given by the
12
affiliated credentialing board by rule under s. 460.04 (2) (d).
AB1013,15
13
Section
15
.
460.01 (9) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1013,6,20
14
460.01
(9)
“Sole practitioner” means a massage therapy or bodywork therapy
15
business whereby the owner is an individual who is a licensed massage therapist or
16
bodywork therapist who owns 100 percent of the business and practices
17
independently for compensation at or for that business and is the only person who
18
provides massage therapy or bodywork therapy for compensation at or for that
19
business and has no other employees, independent contractors, or rent-space
20
massage therapists or bodywork therapists.
AB1013,16
21
Section
16
.
460.02 of the statutes is renumbered 460.02 (1m) and amended
22
to read:
AB1013,7,9
23
460.02
(1m)
Massage therapist or bodywork therapist licenses.
Except
24
as provided in s. 460.03
(1m)
, no person may provide massage therapy or bodywork
1
therapy, designate himself or herself as a massage therapist or bodywork therapist
2
or masseur or masseuse, or use or assume the title “massage therapist and
3
bodywork therapist” or “massage therapist” or “bodywork therapist” or “masseur” or
4
“masseuse” or any title that includes “massage therapist,” “bodywork therapist,” or
5
“bodyworker,” or append to the person’s name the letters “M.T.,” “R.M.T.,” “L.M.T.,”
6
“C.M.T.,” “B.T.,” “B.W.,” “L.B.W.,” “R.B.W.,” or “C.B.W.,” or use any other title or
7
designation that represents or may tend to represent that he or she is
a
licensed
8
under this chapter
massage therapist or bodywork therapist
, unless the person is
9
licensed
as a massage therapist or bodywork therapist
under this chapter.
AB1013,17
10
Section
17
.
460.02 (2m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1013,7,16
11
460.02
(2m)
Establishment licenses.
(a) Except as provided in s. 460.03
12
(2m), no person may provide massage therapy or bodywork therapy in a massage
13
therapy or bodywork therapy establishment unless the establishment is licensed
14
under s. 460.055. For purposes of this paragraph, each distinct massage therapy or
15
bodywork therapy establishment, as further established by the board under s.
16
460.04 (2) (k), shall require a separate license, regardless of ownership.
AB1013,7,20
17
(b) Except as provided in s. 460.03 (1m) and (2m), no person may provide
18
massage therapy or bodywork therapy outside a licensed massage therapy or
19
bodywork therapy establishment unless the massage therapy or bodywork therapy
20
is provided for an out-call massage service.
AB1013,18
21
Section
18
.
460.03 of the statutes is renumbered 460.03 (1m), and 460.03
22
(1m) (intro.), (b) and (bm) 1. (intro.) and 3., as renumbered, are amended to read:
AB1013,8,2
23
460.03
(1m)
Exemptions; massage therapist or bodywork therapist
1
licenses.
(intro.) A
massage therapy or bodywork therapy
license under this
2
chapter is not required for any of the following:
Down
Down
/2025/related/proposals/ab1013
true
proposaltext
/2025/related/proposals/ab1013
proposaltext/2025/REG/AB1013
proposaltext/2025/REG/AB1013
section
true
Menu
»
2025
»
Related Documents
»
Proposal Text
»
AB1013: Bill Text
×
Details for
PDF view
Link
(Permanent link)
Bookmark this location
View toggle
Go to top of document
Search in this chapter
Search in this section
Search in this agency
Search in this chapter group
Search in this chapter
Search in this section
Cross references for section
Acts affecting this section
References to this
1970 Statutes Annotations
Appellate Court Citations
Administrative Code Index
Reference lines
Clear highlighting