03/08/2024 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE

                    SSCR 4-DISAPPROVE EO 127                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
4:07:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SUMNER announced  that the next order of  business would be                                                               
SENATE   SPECIAL  CONCURRENT   RESOLUTION  NO.   4,  Disapproving                                                               
Executive Order No. 127.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:08:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SUMNER opened public testimony on SSCR 4.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:08:26 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ANNETTA ATWELL, Chair, Board of  Massage Therapists, testified in                                                               
opposition to SSCR 4 and urged members  to veto EO 127.  She said                                                               
the sunset audit's evaluation debunked  the notion of eliminating                                                               
the  board for  efficiency.    She said  the  most notable  audit                                                               
recommendation was an increase in  licensure fees, which would be                                                               
accomplished  through the  Department  of  Commerce, Community  &                                                               
Economic Development (DCCED).   She explained that  the board had                                                               
consistently focused on efforts  to keep safety, professionalism,                                                               
and the  best interests of  massage therapists and the  public at                                                               
the forefront.   The goal  is to  continue the training  of board                                                               
members  on safety  protocols  concerning  human trafficking  and                                                               
prostitution  rings.    She  stated  that  the  board  hosts  its                                                               
colleagues  in  a town  hall  meeting  each  year where  much  is                                                               
learned  about  how  to  keep  the  community  safe  from  unsafe                                                               
practices.     She  added  that  licensees   can  bill  insurance                                                               
companies if they are credentialed with the insurance company.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:14:25 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked whether  insurance companies base their                                                               
underwriting material on a national standard.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. ATWELL did not know the answer.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  PRAX  asked  whether the  national  certification                                                               
board engages in disciplinary action in other states.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MS. ATWELL deferred the question to Ms. Motz.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
4:16:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JILL MOTZ, representing self, informed  the committee that she is                                                               
the former chair  of the state Board of Massage  Therapists.  She                                                               
said  there are  no  national organizations  that participate  in                                                               
oversight or disciplinary action of message therapists.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:17:08 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SUMNER  closed public testimony  and announced that  SSCR 4                                                               
would be held over.