Senator Gaetz moved to add amendment 471622 to SB752 which would allow students to operate without a license and earn money without a license. In affect, making no incentive for someone to get a license if they failed there first exam. Allowing people to do massage therapy without a license and in effect practicing medicine without a license. Our Lobbyists were on the ball and alerted the executive committee of the Senator’s actions and called our President Maureen of the executive committee immediately and called to action all of the chapter boards to call immediately to their state Senators and State House of Representatives the FSMTA’s opposition to the amendment to bill SB752 which is a bill that will crack down on Medicaid and Medicare Fraud in the State of Florida. This amendment was attached to this bill on April 20th, 2010.
Maureen alerted the chapter board by email and asked us to call our Senator’s to let them know we are not in favor of the bill with this amendment. Maureen immediately went to work calling each and every state senator to let them know that the FSMTA was against such bill and urged all the chapter’s board members to do the same. Well, most sprung into action immediately and called about this amendment.
The outcome was in our favor State Senator Gaetz withdrew his amendment to the bill on April 21, 2010 because of our quick and decisive action when we were alerted to the amendment by our state lobbyists.
Mareen said in an email to me, “You can still call your Senators. Yes, our lobbyists are all over this issue, they asked for the action. I did not have time to explain all the implications and also make my calls. I only called 15 before the 1: pm time but Janet told me to keep calling. I am calling every Senator.
The long and short of it is the amendment is looking for a temporary license. The intent of the amendment is to allow massage students to practice as soon as they complete the course of study at a school. This would be unlicensed activity until they take the exam. We are concerned because this opens an avenue for abuse. All graduates should be licensed before they practice. The turn around time for full license after taking the exam is 7 days, the BOMT says 15 days to be safe but I just spoke to the BOMT Director and the average time is 6-7 days. Students may take the exam before they graduate to be ready when they finish the course of study. In our opinion a temporary permit is not necessary.
Some schools with federal aid must place a student before they collect all their fees. A student cannot be placed until after they take the exam and are licensed. This may be the driving force to get a temporary permit.
Here is a copy of the amendment sb0752c3471622
Posted in 
FSMTA Legislative Action Taken!
Amendment to HB 1503… defeated. Well done FSMTA Legislative Team!!!
From: Paul Lambert
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2010 11:59:20 EDT
FSMTA
Subject: amendment to HB 1503
Kudos to Allison and Janet: They just killed the bad school amendment to HB 1503. They won’t blow their own horns, so I will. It was on a late filed amendments filed minutes before the bill was considered this morning. They went into instant action and got support to kill the amendment on a voice vote. Go Team!!!!
Paul Watson Lambert
Attorney-at-Law
502 North Adams Street
Tallahassee, FL 32301-1112
4/28/2010
TO: FSMTA Board of Directors
FROM: Legislative Committee
For your information – this issue is not over… Scott and I have called the offices of the Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader and we have sent each an email; below is what I said, Scott’s email was similar.
If you have time please call both to express our concerns.
Majority Leader Adam Hasner
850-488-2234
Speaker of the House: Larry Cretual
850-488-0887
The proposed amendment would allow students who finish a course of study at a massage school to practice for up to 6 months before taking the State Exam! Some of the students might not even be competent to pass the exam! The turn around from passing the test to getting a license is now only 7 days… there is no need for a temporary license!!!
Maureen
I am leaving in an hour to go to the Board of Massage Therapy Meeting in Tampa.
Do what you can… we stopped the other two amendments – we do make a difference and must continue to try to protect our profession.
From: Maureen Gilbert
Sent: Wednesday, April 28, 2010 10:00 AM
To: larry.cretul@myfloridahouse.gov
Subject: Rep. Fresen amendment regarding massage therapy
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Maureen Gilbert, LMT, NCTMB
Executive State President
Florida State Massage Therapy Association, Inc.
Central Office:
1870 Aloma Ave, #260
Winter Park FL 32789
407-628-2772 * Fax 407-628-2042
http://www.fsmta.org
To the Honorable Cretul;
Our association is not in favor of the Bill and Amendments put forward by Representative Erik Fresen or anyone else regarding temporary licensure for students before passing the State Licensing exam. This would cause more harm to the public – than good. Getting a license after taking and passing the state exam is approximately 7 days. A temporary licensure is not necessary and would be costly to the Department and would allow someone to practice before proving that they are competent to practice. This violates everything the State has done to protect the public.
Please VOTE NO!
Maureen Gilbert, LMT, NCTMB / MA18399
3122 River Villa Way
Melbourne Beach, FL 32951
(321) 768-6026
mojogil@cfl.rr.com
NOTE: FSMTA has 5000 active members with 19 Chapters across the State. I am also an active member of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA); the Florida Chapter has approximately the same number of members. We work closely to protect our profession and scope of practice, we are all proud of being licensed and believe that all students and massage schools should adhere to the same procedures.
adam.hasner@myfloridahouse.gov
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Maureen Gilbert, LMT, NCTMB
Executive State President
Florida State Massage Therapy Association, Inc.
Central Office:
1870 Aloma Ave, #260
Winter Park FL 32789
407-628-2772 * Fax 407-628-2042
http://www.fsmta.org
To the Honorable Adam Hasner;
Our association is not in favor of the Bill and Amendments put forward by Representative Erik Fresen or anyone else regarding temporary licensure for students before passing the State Licensing exam. This would cause more harm to the public – than good. Getting a license after taking and passing the state exam is approximately 7 days. A temporary licensure is not necessary and would be costly to the Department and would allow someone to practice before proving that they are competent to practice. This violates everything the State has done to protect the public.
Please VOTE NO!
Maureen Gilbert, LMT, NCTMB / MA18399
3122 River Villa Way
Melbourne Beach, FL 32951
(321) 768-6026
mojogil@cfl.rr.com
NOTE: FSMTA has 5000 active members with 19 Chapters across the State. I am also an active member of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA); the Florida Chapter has approximately the same number of members. We work closely to protect our profession and scope of practice, we are all proud of being licensed and believe that all students and massage schools should adhere to the same procedures.