Relating to massage therapy, including child and dependent adult abuse reporting and continuing education requirements, and making penalties applicable

This bill relates to the practice of massage therapy. The bill adds licensed massage therapists to the list of persons required to report child and dependent adult abuse. By operation of law, such persons are required to complete training regarding the identification and reporting of child and dependent adult abuse, and the board of massage therapy is required to require the completion of such training as a condition of licensure. The bill allows a licensed massage therapist to include the completion of such training toward the fulfillment of the continuing education requirement. A person required to report a suspected case of child or dependent adult abuse who knowingly and willfully fails to do so is guilty of a simple misdemeanor. A simple misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than days and a fine of at least $105 but not more than $855. A person required to report suspected child or dependent adult abuse who knowingly fails to do so is civilly liable for the damages proximately caused by such a failure.