Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to the licensure of massage establishments, and making penalties applicable
Sponsored by Sen. Jason Schultz (R)
Topics:State government
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 20, 2026
- Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 22, 2026
- Done: Senate committeeFebruary 5, 2026
- Done: Passes the SenateMay 2, 202645–0
- Skipped: House committeeSkipped
- Done: Passes the HouseMarch 12, 202683–8
- Done: To the GovernorMay 13, 2026
- Done: Signed into lawJune 2, 2026
Became SF 2205 → Its progress continues under the new number. Go to SF 2205 What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
This bill relates to the licensure of massage therapy establishments. Beginning July 1, 2027, the bill requires a massage therapy establishment, defined in the bill as a location where massage therapy is practiced, to obtain a license in order to operate. The bill requires an applicant to submit an application in a form prescribed by the board of massage therapy (board) and it must be accompanied by an application fee. The board may perform a sanitary inspection of a proposed establishment prior to issuing a license and biennially thereafter, or upon receipt of a complaint.
Read the full explanation
The bill allows the board to deny an application if the applicant is a massage therapist who is not in good standing or holds a suspended license, or if the applicant is under criminal investigation or has a disqualifying criminal history, as described in the bill. The bill allows the board to revoke a license based on public complaint, upon receiving evidence of misconduct, including disqualifying criminal acts, or upon a finding that the application was fraudulent. The board may also take emergency action to suspend a license upon discovery of pending criminal charges against an establishment owner or officer. An establishment license is valid for two years and may be renewed. The bill requires an establishment to maintain certain records for three years, including information regarding massage therapists who have worked at the establishment and the clients to whom they have provided massage therapy. The bill also requires a person under investigation by a peace officer for the provision of illegal services to provide a copy of the establishment license, if applicable. A person who violates this provision of the bill is guilty of a serious misdemeanor. A serious misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than one year and a fine of at least $430 but not more than $2,560. The bill exempts certain people from the requirement to obtain an establishment license, including massage therapists providing massage therapy at a customer’s location, operators of devices such as massage chairs, certain licensed health care professionals, student clinics operated by a school of massage therapy, and sole practitioners. The bill defines “sole practitioner” as a massage therapist who provides massage therapy at a location over which the massage therapist exercises physical control and from which only the massage therapist offers and provides massage therapy. The bill requires the board to adopt rules to implement the bill. The rules shall include application, sanitation, building safety, record retention, inspection, and license transfer requirements.
From the explanation printed with the bill as introduced, written by the Legislative Services Agency. Amendments adopted later aren’t reflected. Full bill text · What changed before it passed
Senate subcommittee
Named January 22, 2026. On January 28, 2026 it recommended passage.
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part
10 written public comments to its subcommittee: February 11, 2026 (1), January 28, 2026 (9) · on the Legislature’s site
Fiscal note
1 additional FTE positions and increase costs by $171,000 in subsequent fiscal years. These costs are displayed in Figure 2. The Bill is also estimated to increase revenues to the DIAL and the LRF by approximately $280,000 in FY 2027 and varying amounts in subsequent fiscal years. Figure 3 below shows estimated costs and revenues to the DIAL and the LRF by fiscal year.
The estimate held steady
The largest dollar figure in each version’s summary.
- Final Fiscal Note — Massage Establishment Licensing · June 2, 2026 · $280,000
- Massage Establishment Licensing · March 12, 2026 · $280,000
- Massage Establishment Licensing · March 11, 2026 · $280,000
Nonpartisan cost estimates from the Legislative Services Agency’s Fiscal Services Division. The newest is first. Reading a fiscal note
Iowa Code it changes
Creates§152C.10
Amends§152C.1§152C.4§152C.5B§152C.7
Read from the bill as introduced. Each links to every bill touching that chapter of the Iowa Code. How the Code works
Lobbying
7 for · 0 against · 4 undecided · Who →
Family tree
Where this legislation came from and where it went: earlier tries, the versions it moved through this Assembly, and later bills built on it.
Study bill
Earlier and later bills are matched by wording or an identical title; check the text to be sure it’s the same idea.