California Governor Says No to Acupuncture Asian Massage Bill

Known locally as the acupuncturist Bill AB 3014, interested parties wanted the bill passed in an effort to define the term "Asian massage" when used in conjunction with the practice of acupuncture. the bill was introduced in February 2006 and was amended several times before it reached the governor's desk in late September. The bill was last amended in the Senate on August 21, 2006.

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California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed an assembly Bill intended to define the practice of Asian massage.

Known locally as the acupuncturist Bill AB 3014, interested parties wanted the bill passed in an effort to define the term “Asian massage” when used in conjunction with the practice of acupuncture. the bill was introduced in February 2006 and was amended several times before it reached the governor’s desk in late September. The bill was last amended in the Senate on August 21, 2006.

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (bill text)
AB 3014, as amended, Koretz Acupuncture: Asian massage.
Existing law, the Acupuncture Licensure Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of acupuncturists by the Acupuncture Board and authorizes the board to adopt regulations necessary to implement the act. Existing law authorizes the holder of an acupuncturist’s license to engage in the practice of acupuncture and various other forms of treatment, including Asian massage. Existing law specifies that the act does not prohibit a person who is not a licensed acupuncturist or licensed healing arts practitioner from performing or prescribing Asian massage. This bill would define Asian massage for purposes of that provision as the use of pressure techniques, including myofascial release, or manual therapy, as specified. The bill would require the board to adopt regulations, as specified, prior to January 1, 2008, defining myofascial release and manual therapy for those purposes.

Governor Schwarzenegger wrote…

To Members of the California State Assembly:

I am unable to support this bill because it fails to establish a clear statutory definition of Asian massage, lacks protections to ensure practitioners are appropriately trained, and may increase the potential for insurance fraud. For these reasons, I am returning Assembly Bill 3014 without my signature.

Sincerely,
Arnold Schwarzenegger
http://gov.ca.gov/pdf/press/ab_3014_veto.pdf

If acupuncturists want to clean up the terminology on Asian massage they are going to have some work to do. Doing a Google search for the term “Asian massage” brings up quite a bit of high ranking and adsense links related to Adult Parties/Escorts, Asian escorts, Exotic Asian Massage, as well as a University of California, San Francisco report on HIV-related behaviors among Asian massage parlor workers.

planetc1.com-news @ 7:13 pm | Article ID: 1160111631