SB 315: California Massage Therapy Council: material for non-English speakers.

The Massage Therapy Act, until January 1, 2021, provides for certification of massage practitioners and massage therapists by the California Massage Therapy Council. The act requires the council to take reasonable actions as needed to carry out its responsibilities and duties, including, among others, hiring staff, entering into contracts, and developing policies, procedures, rules, and bylaws to implement the act.

This bill would require the council to assess its contact with non-English speakers. The bill would require the council, based on this assessment, to offer and make available all publicly available written and electronic materials provided to certificate holders and applicants in languages other than English that the council determines will be used by a substantial number of non-English speakers in contact with the council. The bill would exclude examinations, denial and disciplinary legal documents, and email communications from that requirement. The bill also would require the council to provide a report to the Legislature on the findings of its assessment of contact with non-English speakers on or before January 1, 2019.