Ohio massage therapists took an important step forward when the state enacted the Interstate Massage Compact. That action positioned Ohio as an early leader in professional mobility and created hope that licensed massage therapists would soon have a streamlined pathway to practice in other compact member states.
However, changes made through SB 276 substantively altered Ohio’s enacted compact language. Because interstate compacts depend on states enacting the same official model language, those substantive changes mean Ohio’s current language does not align with the official Interstate Massage Compact language enacted by other states.
This matters for Ohio massage therapists.
The purpose of the IMpact is to create one shared, consistent framework for professional mobility among participating states. When a state makes substantive changes to the model compact language, it is no longer enacting the same compact. As a result, Ohio must restore its language to the official IMpact model in order to participate in the official Interstate Massage Compact framework alongside the other states that have already enacted the compact.
Ohio legislators need to hear directly from the massage therapy profession.
We are asking Ohio massage therapists, employers, educators, students, and supporters to contact their legislators and ask them to sponsor corrective legislation that would undo the SB 276 changes and restore Ohio’s compact language to the official IMpact model language.
Please use the action links on this page to:
Send a letter to your Ohio legislators asking them to sponsor corrective legislation;
Share your IMpact story so legislators understand why mobility matters in real life; and
Complete the IMpact survey if you have not already done so.
Restoring the official language would:
Ohio massage therapists have already made their voices clear. In survey data collected from Ohio respondents, 100% expressed support for the IMpact, and approximately 85% indicated they would be likely to obtain a multistate license if one became available.
That support matters. Legislators need to know that Ohio massage therapists want access to the official IMpact framework and the mobility opportunities it was designed to provide.
Your voice is needed now.
The letter below has been provided to help you contact your Ohio legislators. You may send it as written or personalize it with your own experience.
Your message can help make sure Ohio massage therapists are not left behind.
Legislators also need to understand why mobility matters in real life.
Have you ever wanted or needed to practice in another state? Have you had difficulty obtaining a license in another state? Do you live near a state border, serve clients in multiple communities, travel for work, or support military families? Would a multistate license help your career, your clients, or your business?
Your story can help show why restoring Ohio’s official IMpact language is so important.
If you have not already completed the IMpact survey, please take a few minutes to share your perspective. Survey responses help demonstrate the needs and priorities of the massage therapy profession and provide important data for legislators, regulators, and policymakers.
Ohio helped lead the way on professional mobility. Now, Ohio massage therapists need the General Assembly to finish the job by restoring Ohio’s compact language to the official IMpact model language.
