Ohio massage therapists have been clear about what they want.
According to the IMpact Survey of the Profession:
Those numbers tell an unmistakable story:
Massage therapists want the freedom to practice where opportunity, family, military service, and client needs take them.
That's why it's important to understand what happened with Ohio's newly enacted Senate Bill 276.
Ohio was one of the first states to enact the official Interstate Massage Compact (IMpact) in 2024. With the passage of SB 276, Ohio replaced that legislation with different compact legislation.
As a result, Ohio is no longer part of the official Interstate Massage Compact (IMpact) as it exists today.
Instead of adding another state to the existing compact, Ohio now stands apart from the remaining IMpact member states.
Simply put, what was recently posted by AMTA on the passage of SB 276 is incorrect:
You cannot obtain a multistate license because of this legislation.
You do not gain new interstate practice privileges.
Interstate mobility has not expanded.
Interstate compacts only work when participating states enact the same legislation. That shared legal foundation allows states to build one Commission, adopt one set of rules, and ultimately issue one multistate license recognized across all participating states.
Because Ohio enacted different compact legislation, that shared foundation no longer exists.
Instead of moving one step closer to a functioning interstate compact, the massage profession now has two separate legislative paths that must ultimately be reconciled before therapists can experience the benefits of true interstate mobility.
The goal has never been simply to pass compact legislation.
The goal is to create one operational interstate compact that allows qualified massage therapists to practice safely and efficiently across participating states while maintaining strong public protection.
That goal has not changed.
The overwhelming support expressed by Ohio massage therapists — and by professionals across the country — makes one thing clear: the profession wants a functioning compact that delivers real mobility, not additional uncertainty.
The Interstate Massage Compact (IMpact) remains committed to working with regulators, legislators, educators, employers, military families, and massage professionals to achieve that vision.
We will continue working toward one unified, operational Interstate Massage Compact that fulfills the promise of interstate mobility while protecting the public and strengthening the massage therapy profession.
Ohio therapists have made their voices heard.
The IMpact remains committed to making that vision a reality.
