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The Florida Statutes

The 2023 Florida Statutes (including Special Session C)

Title XXXII
REGULATION OF PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS
Chapter 480
MASSAGE THERAPY PRACTICE
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F.S. 480.033
480.033 Definitions.As used in this act:
(1) “Apprentice” means a person approved by the board to study colonic irrigation under the instruction of a licensed massage therapist practicing colonic irrigation.
(2) “Board” means the Board of Massage Therapy.
(3) “Board-approved massage therapy school” means a facility that meets minimum standards for training and curriculum as determined by rule of the board and that is licensed by the Department of Education pursuant to chapter 1005 or the equivalent licensing authority of another state or is within the public school system of this state or a college or university that is eligible to participate in the William L. Boyd, IV, Effective Access to Student Education Grant Program.
(4) “Colonic irrigation” means a method of hydrotherapy used to cleanse the colon with the aid of a mechanical device and water.
(5) “Department” means the Department of Health.
(6) “Designated establishment manager” means a massage therapist who holds a clear and active license without restriction, who is responsible for the operation of a massage establishment in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, and who is designated the manager by the rules or practices at the establishment.
(7) “Establishment” or “massage establishment” means a site or premises, or portion thereof, wherein a massage therapist practices massage therapy.
(8) “Establishment owner” means a person who has ownership interest in a massage establishment. The term includes an individual who holds a massage establishment license, a general partner of a partnership, an owner or officer of a corporation, and a member of a limited liability company and its subsidiaries who holds a massage establishment license.
(9) “Licensure” means the procedure by which a person, hereinafter referred to as a “practitioner,” applies to the board for approval to practice massage therapy or to operate an establishment.
(10) “Massage therapist” means a person licensed as required by this act, who performs massage therapy, including massage therapy assessment, for compensation.
(11) “Massage therapy” means the manipulation of the soft tissues of the human body with the hand, foot, knee, arm, or elbow, regardless of whether such manipulation is aided by hydrotherapy, including colonic irrigation, or thermal therapy; any electrical or mechanical device; or the application to the human body of a chemical or herbal preparation.
(12) “Massage therapy assessment” means the determination of the course of massage therapy treatment.
History.s. 3, ch. 78-436; ss. 13, 15, 25, 30, 34, 50, 62, ch. 80-406; s. 2, ch. 81-318; s. 76, ch. 83-329; ss. 1, 12, 13, ch. 85-280; s. 50, ch. 89-374; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 169, ch. 94-218; s. 67, ch. 95-144; s. 149, ch. 97-264; s. 116, ch. 2001-277; s. 1025, ch. 2002-387; s. 1, ch. 2013-212; s. 25, ch. 2018-4; s. 85, ch. 2019-3; s. 3, ch. 2019-152; s. 37, ch. 2020-133; s. 4, ch. 2021-143; s. 49, ch. 2022-4.