Protect Holistic Healthcare in Massachusetts Holistic healthcare is once again threatened in Massachusetts. There are two bills in development at the State House that need your attention.
SUPPORT SAFE HARBOR Beginning in 2018, Health Freedom Action Massachusetts (HFAMA) developed and secured sponsors for safe harbor legislation. Newly refiled in 2021, SD.1085/ HD.1169 — An Act Providing for Consumer Access and the Right to Practice Complementary and Alternative Health Care Services — seeks to protect unlicensed holistic healthcare professionals who agree to both provide commonsense disclosures to their clients and to refrain from prohibited acts (providing a medical diagnosis, puncturing the skin, etc.). Over the past 2 years, the legislation drafted by HFAMA had successfully made its way to the last step before a floor vote when the pandemic shut down normal business operations, and the 2-year legislative session ended without resolution on the bill. Efforts have begun again with the legislative session that began January 1, 2021. The bill currently has sponsors in both the House and the Senate, and is well-positioned for success. However, it will still take considerable effort and the support of holistic practitioners and consumers across the state to achieve passage in this new legislative session. To stay informed of activity on this bill or to volunteer to assist in the efforts for passage, please contact Spirit of Change publisher Carol Bedrosian at carol@spiritofchange.org.
OPPOSE LICENSING Despite strong opposition, the Attorney General is redrafting and refiling S168, An Act Regulating Bodyworks. Now known as SD.1068/HD.1708, the bill seeks to control and license holistic energy practitioners. Similar bills are also in process and likely to be filed at the State House soon. These laws can impact all holistic energy practitioners and teachers including Reiki, Qigong, Jin Shin Jyutsu, Tai Chi and more, burdening these safe, traditional healing art forms with unnecessary and restrictive standards. Holistic healthcare professionals would have to be certified and receive additional education for a fee to become eligible for licensure. This would force many healers who have been safely practicing for decades to close their doors and abandon patients in need. The unnecessary and restrictive standards would: 1. Increase holistic healthcare costs 2. Drive holistic health practitioners out of business 3. Decrease the availability of holistic healthcare modalities 4. Hurt part-time professionals disproportionately, especially women 5. Overstep regulatory norms by requiring licensing of non-harming holistic professions To stay informed of activity on this bill or to assist in the efforts for opposition, please contact Rita Glassman, Executive Director, MA Coalition of Holistic Practitioners at MACHH7@GMAIL.COM.
ACTION REQUIRED
It is vitally important that you register your position on these bills with your state senator and your representative. Find them here at this link: https://malegislature.gov/search/findmylegislator
1. Encourage your legislators to co-sponsor SD.1085/HD.1169 2. Encourage your legislators to oppose SD.1068/HD.1708 and other costly, unnecessary licensing of non-harming modalities
PLEASE CALL OR WRITE YOUR LEGISLATOR TODAY TO MAKE YOUR POSITION KNOWN. www.spiritofchange.org www.spiritofchange.org
SPRING/SUMMER SPRING/SUMMER2021 2021| |Spirit Spiritof ofChange Change 9 9
