PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — Members of the South Dakota Massage Therapy Board are looking at ways to improve the profession’s reputation.
They’re talking about such things as requiring a name and license number on any advertising, requiring massage businesses to register with the board, changing the annual licensing period to two years, and ensuring that any ‘yes’ answers regarding prior convictions by applicants are brought to the board’s attention.
The board operates as part of the South Dakota Department of Health, which answers to the governor’s office. During a teleconference meeting on Thursday the board’s attorney, deputy attorney general Steve Blair, outlined the process for submitting legislation.
Blair said that it’s currently too late for the board to get clearance from the Health Department and the governor’s office to offer any legislation for lawmakers to consider in the 2025 session that starts January 14.
If a legislator does bring a bill regarding massage therapy, Blair continued, the governor-appointed board would need to loop in the department and the governor’s office and then be told whether to take a position.
“Otherwise there’s a long runway for next year,” Blair said. He explained that any legislation that the board wants to formally propose for the 2026 session would need to be ready shortly after the 2025 session concludes in March, so that the department and the governor’s office could have time to decide whether the board could go forward with it.
Three licensed massage therapists thanked the board during the meeting’s public comment period for being willing to consider changes.
Bridget Myers of Sioux Falls gave detailed reasons why the ideas are good and said she worked to help elect several legislators. Said Rhanda Heller of Sioux Falls, “I think that uniting all the massage therapists and the board is a great step.” Said Tonia McGeorge of Ipswich, “It’s just been great to watch the collaboration and moving forward.”
A next step will be a roundtable for further discussion, according to board president Fallon Helm of Aberdeen. “Lots of great information from the public and great points we’ll be following up with,” she said.
