[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Town Commissioners of the Town of Bel Air 3-11-1980 by Ord. No. 310 as Ch. 6, Art. 3 of the 1980 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
Unless the particular provision or the context otherwise requires, the definitions and provisions contained in this section shall govern the construction, meaning and application of words and phrases used in this chapter:
CERTIFIED MASSAGE THERAPIST
An individual who is certified by the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners to practice massage therapy.
MASSAGE THERAPY
The use of manual techniques on the soft tissues of the human body, including effleurage (stroking), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (tapping), stretching, compression, vibration, and friction, with or without the aid of heat, limited to hot packs and hearing pads, cold water, or nonlegend topical applications, for the purpose of improving circulation, enhancing muscle relation, relieving muscular pain, reducing stress, or promoting health and well-being. "Massage therapy" does not include the diagnosis or treatment of illness, disease or injury or the adjustment, manipulation or mobilization of any articulation of the osseous structures of the body or spine.
PRACTICE MASSAGE THERAPY
To engage professionally and for compensation in massage therapy.
PRACTICE NONTHERAPEUTIC MASSAGE
To engage professionally and for compensation in massage therapy that is not in a health care facility.
REGISTERED MASSAGE PRACTITIONER
An individual who is registered by the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners to practice nontherapeutic massage.
REGISTRATION
A registration issued by the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners to practice nontherapeutic massage.
In accordance with the Health Occupations Article of the Maryland Annotated Code, Title 3, Subtitle 5A, Certification of Massage Therapists, no individual shall engage in or carry on the business of massage therapy or nontherapeutic massage unless he or she has valid certification from the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners that he or she has been authorized to practice as a certified massage therapist.
The state certification received by a massage therapist or a nontherapeutic massage practitioner must be displayed in an area visible by the customers of the place of business. The Chief of Police of his/her designee may inspect a business offering massage therapy without notice to assure certification is current and posted.
In compliance with state law, any individual who violates a provision of the state certification is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction shall be subject to a penalty as provided in § 3-5A-11 of the Health Occupations Article of the Annotated Code.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. III).