I have posted a poll on CTX Massage Yahoo group I would like to
invite you to participate.
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/CentralTexasMassage/

"500 hours or TWo-Tier? Texas currently requires 300 hours of basic
massage therapy education for a student to become licensed. A school
can teach no more or no less than 300 hours. Most therapists believe
more hours should be available to students, if they wish. Do you
believe Texas massage law should require all new therapists to have
500 hours or more of massage therapy training? All existing LMT's who
have under 300 hours would be grandfathered into licensing, and only
if they let their license lapse for 90 days or more, would not be
required to get more education. Or, do think Texas should change it's
law to allow for a two Tier Program? This law would allow all
existing therapists who wish to pay an additional fee to grandfather
into the Master Massage Therapist licensing. A licensed massage
therapist with 300 hours or more would be allowed to do relaxation
massage only and not take doctor referrals, bill PIP, charge Medical
Saving Accounts or Medical Flex Plans, while a master massage
therapist would be allowed to take doctor referals, and bill and
charge the afore mentiond."

I did a poll that ended Monday asking the following: no changes, 300
hours no cap, 500 hours or two tier. The poll resulted in 1 vote for
no changes and the rest were distributed pretty equally between 500
hours and two tier. If you have the time and gumption, please
participate. All votes are confidential, which means I will not get
your name or email address when you vote, and all members of CTX
massage Yahoo group will be emailed the results. You will need to
join the group to vote.

I am using this poll for my own resources. I was involved in the
last legislative session as a private MT and a representative for
TAMT, supporting increasing the hours to a minimum of 500 for basic
massage education. So much has changed and we have learned so much
about each other and the profession, I would like to see where
everyone stands in this issue, in case any legislature comes up again
in 2007 and I am asked to get involved. I will do nothing unless I
know the massage community is behind any given changes. The price is
too high for the profession and me personally.

Thanks

Vicki Matthews