Bill Text: FL S0896 | 2024 | Regular Session | Comm Sub


Bill Title: Health Care Practitioners and Massage Therapy

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2024-03-05 - Laid on Table, refer to CS/CS/HB 197 [S0896 Detail]

Download: Florida-2024-S0896-Comm_Sub.html
       Florida Senate - 2024                              CS for SB 896
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Fiscal Policy; and Senator Martin
       
       
       
       
       
       594-03382-24                                           2024896c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to health care practitioners and
    3         massage therapy; amending s. 456.026, F.S.; requiring
    4         that a certain annual report required of the
    5         Department of Health include specified data; amending
    6         s. 456.074, F.S.; requiring the department to
    7         immediately suspend the license of massage therapists
    8         and massage establishments under certain
    9         circumstances; requiring the department to suspend the
   10         license of any person or entity under its jurisdiction
   11         under certain circumstances; amending s. 480.033,
   12         F.S.; revising and providing definitions; amending s.
   13         480.035, F.S.; revising quorum requirements for the
   14         Board of Massage Therapy; amending s. 480.043, F.S.;
   15         revising certain rules the board is required to adopt;
   16         prohibiting sexual activity and certain related
   17         activities in massage establishments; specifying
   18         prohibited conduct by establishment owners and
   19         employees; providing requirements for outside windows
   20         and signs in massage establishments; providing
   21         exceptions; providing employee dress code
   22         requirements, with an exception; requiring massage
   23         establishments to maintain certain employment records
   24         in English or Spanish; requiring that specified
   25         information be recorded before an employee may provide
   26         services or treatment; requiring massage
   27         establishments to conspicuously display a photo and
   28         specified information for each employee; requiring
   29         that such photos and information be displayed before
   30         an employee may provide services or treatment;
   31         providing for such requirements in massage
   32         establishments within public lodging establishments;
   33         requiring massage establishments to maintain customer
   34         and patient records, in English or Spanish, for
   35         services and treatment provided in the massage
   36         establishment; providing that medical records satisfy
   37         certain requirements; requiring massage establishments
   38         to maintain such records for a specified timeframe;
   39         requiring massage establishments to collect and record
   40         specified information; requiring massage
   41         establishments to confirm the identification of a
   42         customer or patient before providing services or
   43         treatment; amending s. 480.0465, F.S.; revising
   44         advertising requirements and prohibitions for massage
   45         therapists and massage establishments; amending s.
   46         480.0475, F.S.; prohibiting massage establishments
   47         from being used as a temporary domicile for, to
   48         shelter or harbor, or as sleeping quarters for any
   49         person, with an exception; amending s. 480.0535, F.S.;
   50         requiring the department’s investigators to request
   51         valid government identification from all employees
   52         while in a massage establishment; specifying
   53         additional documents that a person operating a massage
   54         establishment must immediately present, upon request,
   55         to department investigators and law enforcement
   56         officers; requiring the department to notify a federal
   57         immigration office if specified persons in a massage
   58         establishment fail to provide valid government
   59         identification; amending s. 823.05, F.S.; providing
   60         criminal penalties; providing appropriations and
   61         authorizing positions; providing an effective date.
   62          
   63  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   64  
   65         Section 1. Section 456.026, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   66  read:
   67         456.026 Annual report concerning finances, administrative
   68  complaints, disciplinary actions, and recommendations.—
   69         (1) The department is directed to prepare and submit a
   70  report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
   71  House of Representatives by November 1 of each year. In addition
   72  to finances and any other information the Legislature may
   73  require, the report must shall include statistics and relevant
   74  information, profession by profession, detailing:
   75         (a)(1) The revenues, expenditures, and cash balances for
   76  the prior year, and a review of the adequacy of existing fees.
   77         (b)(2) The number of complaints received and investigated.
   78         (c)(3) The number of findings of probable cause made.
   79         (d)(4) The number of findings of no probable cause made.
   80         (e)(5) The number of administrative complaints filed.
   81         (f)(6) The disposition of all administrative complaints.
   82         (g)(7) A description of disciplinary actions taken.
   83         (h)(8) A description of any effort by the department to
   84  reduce or otherwise close any investigation or disciplinary
   85  proceeding not before the Division of Administrative Hearings
   86  under chapter 120 or otherwise not completed within 1 year after
   87  the initial filing of a complaint under this chapter.
   88         (i)(9) The status of the development and implementation of
   89  rules providing for disciplinary guidelines pursuant to s.
   90  456.079.
   91         (j)(10) Such recommendations for administrative and
   92  statutory changes necessary to facilitate efficient and cost
   93  effective operation of the department and the various boards.
   94         (2)The report must separately categorize all complaints,
   95  investigations, probable cause findings, and disciplinary
   96  actions against a massage therapist or massage establishment
   97  licensed under chapter 480 related to a violation of each of the
   98  following:
   99         (a)Section 480.043(12).
  100         (b)Section 480.043(13).
  101         (c)Section 480.043(14)(a)-(f).
  102         (d)Section 480.0465.
  103         (e)Section 480.0475.
  104         (f)Section 480.0485.
  105         (g)Section 480.0535.
  106         Section 2. Subsection (4) of section 456.074, Florida
  107  Statutes, is amended, and subsection (7) is added to that
  108  section, to read:
  109         456.074 Certain health care practitioners; immediate
  110  suspension of license.—
  111         (4) The department shall issue an emergency order
  112  suspending the license of a massage therapist and or
  113  establishment as those terms are defined in s. 480.033 chapter
  114  480 upon receipt of information that the massage therapist; the
  115  designated establishment manager as defined in s. 480.033; an
  116  employee of the establishment;, a person with an ownership
  117  interest in the establishment;, or, for a corporation that has
  118  more than $250,000 of business assets in this state, the owner,
  119  officer, or individual directly involved in the management of
  120  the establishment has been arrested for committing or
  121  attempting, soliciting, or conspiring to commit, has been
  122  convicted or found guilty of, or has entered a plea of guilty or
  123  nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication, a violation of
  124  s. 796.07 s. 796.07(2)(a) which is reclassified under s.
  125  796.07(7) or a felony offense under any of the following
  126  provisions of state law or a similar provision in another
  127  jurisdiction:
  128         (a) Section 787.01, relating to kidnapping.
  129         (b) Section 787.02, relating to false imprisonment.
  130         (c) Section 787.025, relating to luring or enticing a
  131  child.
  132         (d) Section 787.06, relating to human trafficking.
  133         (e) Section 787.07, relating to human smuggling.
  134         (f) Section 794.011, relating to sexual battery.
  135         (g) Section 794.08, relating to female genital mutilation.
  136         (h) Former s. 796.03, relating to procuring a person under
  137  the age of 18 for prostitution.
  138         (i) Former s. 796.035, relating to the selling or buying of
  139  minors into prostitution.
  140         (j) Section 796.04, relating to forcing, compelling, or
  141  coercing another to become a prostitute.
  142         (k) Section 796.05, relating to deriving support from the
  143  proceeds of prostitution.
  144         (l) Section 796.07(4)(a)3., relating to a felony of the
  145  third degree for a third or subsequent violation of s. 796.07,
  146  relating to prohibiting prostitution and related acts.
  147         (m) Section 800.04, relating to lewd or lascivious offenses
  148  committed upon or in the presence of persons less than 16 years
  149  of age.
  150         (n) Section 825.1025(2)(b), relating to lewd or lascivious
  151  offenses committed upon or in the presence of an elderly or
  152  disabled person.
  153         (o) Section 827.071, relating to sexual performance by a
  154  child.
  155         (p) Section 847.0133, relating to the protection of minors.
  156         (q) Section 847.0135, relating to computer pornography.
  157         (r) Section 847.0138, relating to the transmission of
  158  material harmful to minors to a minor by electronic device or
  159  equipment.
  160         (s) Section 847.0145, relating to the selling or buying of
  161  minors.
  162         (7)The department shall issue an emergency order
  163  suspending the license of any licensee upon a finding of the
  164  State Surgeon General that probable cause exists to believe that
  165  the licensee has committed sexual misconduct as described and
  166  prohibited in s. 456.063(1), or the applicable practice act, and
  167  that such violation constitutes an immediate danger to the
  168  public.
  169         Section 3. Present subsections (1) through (6) and (7)
  170  through (12) of section 480.033, Florida Statutes, are
  171  redesignated as subsections (2) through (7) and (9) through
  172  (14), respectively, new subsections (1) and (8) and subsection
  173  (15) are added to that section, and present subsection (6) of
  174  that section is amended, to read:
  175         480.033 Definitions.—As used in this act:
  176         (1)“Advertising medium” means any newspaper; airwave or
  177  computer transmission; telephone directory listing, other than
  178  an in-column listing consisting only of a name, physical
  179  address, and telephone number; business card; handbill; flyer;
  180  sign, other than a building directory listing all building
  181  tenants and their room or suite numbers; or any other form of
  182  written or electronic advertisement.
  183         (7)(6) “Designated establishment manager” means a massage
  184  therapist; a health care practitioner licensed under chapter
  185  457; or a physician licensed under chapter 458, chapter 459, or
  186  chapter 460 who holds a clear and active license without
  187  restriction, who is responsible for the operation of a massage
  188  establishment in accordance with the provisions of this chapter,
  189  and who is designated the manager by the rules or practices at
  190  the establishment.
  191         (8)“Employee” means any person, including, but not limited
  192  to, independent contractors or lessees of a massage
  193  establishment, whose duties involve any aspect or capacity of
  194  the massage establishment, including, but not limited to,
  195  preparing meals and cleaning, regardless of whether such person
  196  is compensated for the performance of such duties. The term does
  197  not include a person who is exclusively engaged in the repair or
  198  maintenance of the massage establishment or in the delivery of
  199  goods to the establishment.
  200         (15)“Sexual activity” means any direct or indirect contact
  201  by any employee or person, or between any employees or persons,
  202  with the intent to abuse, humiliate, harass, degrade, or arouse,
  203  or gratify the sexual desire of, any employee or person, or
  204  which is likely to cause such abuse, humiliation, harassment,
  205  degradation, arousal, or sexual gratification:
  206         (a)With or without the consent of the employee or person.
  207         (b)With or without verbal or nonverbal communication that
  208  the sexual activity is undesired.
  209         (c)With or without the use of any device or object.
  210         (d)With or without the occurrence of penetration, orgasm,
  211  or ejaculation.
  212  
  213  The term includes, but is not limited to, intentional contact
  214  with the genitalia, groin, femoral triangle, anus, buttocks,
  215  gluteal cleft, breast or nipples, mouth, or tongue and the
  216  intentional removal of any drape without specific written
  217  informed consent of the patient.
  218         Section 4. Subsection (5) of section 480.035, Florida
  219  Statutes, is amended to read:
  220         480.035 Board of Massage Therapy.—
  221         (5) The board shall hold such meetings during the year as
  222  it may determine to be necessary, one of which shall be the
  223  annual meeting. The chair of the board shall have the authority
  224  to call other meetings at her or his discretion. A quorum of the
  225  board shall consist of not less than a majority of the current
  226  membership of the board four members.
  227         Section 5. Present subsection (14) of section 480.043,
  228  Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (15), a new
  229  subsection (14) is added to that section, and subsection (3) and
  230  present subsection (14) of that section are amended, to read:
  231         480.043 Massage establishments; requisites; licensure;
  232  inspection; human trafficking awareness training and policies.—
  233         (3) The board shall adopt rules governing the operation of
  234  massage establishments and their facilities, employees
  235  personnel, safety and sanitary requirements, financial
  236  responsibility, insurance coverage, and the license application
  237  and granting process.
  238         (14)In order to provide the department and law enforcement
  239  agencies the means to more effectively identify persons engaging
  240  in human trafficking at massage establishments, all of the
  241  following apply:
  242         (a)Sexual activity in a massage establishment is
  243  prohibited. An establishment owner or employee may not engage in
  244  or allow any person to engage in sexual activity in the
  245  establishment or use the establishment to make arrangements to
  246  engage in sexual activity in another location. Used or unused
  247  condoms are prohibited in a massage establishment.
  248         (b)If there is an outside window or windows into the
  249  massage establishment’s reception area, the outside window or
  250  windows must allow for at least 35 percent light penetration,
  251  and no more than 50 percent of the outside window or windows may
  252  be obstructed with signage, blinds, curtains, or other
  253  obstructions, allowing the public to see the establishment’s
  254  reception area. A sign must be posted on the front window of the
  255  establishment that includes the name and license number of the
  256  massage establishment and the telephone number that has been
  257  provided to the department as part of licensure of the
  258  establishment. This paragraph does not apply to:
  259         1.A massage establishment within a public lodging
  260  establishment as defined in s. 509.013(4).
  261         2.A massage establishment located within a county or
  262  municipality that has an ordinance that prescribes requirements
  263  related to business window light penetration or signage
  264  limitations if compliance with this paragraph would result in
  265  noncompliance with such ordinance.
  266         (c)All employees within the massage establishment must be
  267  fully clothed, and such clothing must be fully opaque and made
  268  of nontransparent material that does not expose the employee’s
  269  genitalia. This requirement does not apply to an employee,
  270  excluding a massage therapist, of a public lodging establishment
  271  as defined in s. 509.013(4) which is licensed as a clothing
  272  optional establishment and chartered with the American
  273  Association for Nude Recreation.
  274         (d)A massage establishment must maintain a complete set of
  275  legible records in English or Spanish, which must include each
  276  employee’s start date of employment, full legal name, date of
  277  birth, home address, telephone number, and employment position
  278  and a copy of the employee’s government identification required
  279  under s. 480.0535. All information required under this paragraph
  280  must be recorded before the employee may provide any service or
  281  treatment to a client or patient.
  282         (e)A massage establishment must conspicuously display a 2
  283  inch by 2 inch photo for each employee, which, for massage
  284  therapists, must be attached to the massage therapist’s license.
  285  Such display must also include the employee’s full legal name
  286  and employment position. All information required under this
  287  paragraph must be displayed before the employee may provide any
  288  service or treatment to a client or patient. A massage
  289  establishment within a public lodging establishment as defined
  290  in s. 509.013(4) may satisfy this requirement by displaying the
  291  photos and required information in an employee break room or
  292  other room that is used by employees, but is not used by clients
  293  or patients.
  294         (f)A massage establishment must maintain a complete set of
  295  legible records in English or Spanish which must include the
  296  date, time, and type of service or treatment provided; the full
  297  legal name of the employee who provided the service or
  298  treatment; and the full legal name, home address, and telephone
  299  number of the client or patient. Medical records may satisfy
  300  this requirement if the records include the specified
  301  information. A copy of the client’s or patient’s photo
  302  identification may be used to provide the full legal name and
  303  home address of the client or patient. Records required under
  304  this paragraph must be maintained for at least 1 year after a
  305  service or treatment is provided. All information required under
  306  this paragraph must be collected and recorded before any service
  307  or treatment is provided to a client or patient. The
  308  establishment must confirm the identification of the client or
  309  patient before any service or treatment is provided to the
  310  client or patient.
  311         (15)(14) Except for the requirements of subsection (13),
  312  this section does not apply to a practitioner physician licensed
  313  under chapter 457 or a physician licensed under, chapter 458,
  314  chapter 459, or chapter 460 who employs a licensed massage
  315  therapist to perform massage therapy on the practitioner’s or
  316  physician’s patients at his or her the physician’s place of
  317  practice. This subsection does not restrict investigations by
  318  the department for violations of chapter 456 or this chapter.
  319         Section 6. Section 480.0465, Florida Statutes, is amended
  320  to read:
  321         480.0465 Advertisement; prohibitions.—
  322         (1) Each massage therapist or massage establishment
  323  licensed under this act shall include the number of the license
  324  in any advertisement of massage therapy services appearing in
  325  any advertising medium, including, but not limited to, a
  326  newspaper, airwave transmission, telephone directory, Internet,
  327  or other advertising medium. The advertisement must also include
  328  the physical address of the massage establishment and the
  329  telephone number that has been provided to the department as
  330  part of the licensing of the establishment. However, the
  331  inclusion of the physical address and telephone number is not
  332  required for an advertisement by a massage establishment whose
  333  establishment owner operates more than five locations in this
  334  state.
  335         (2)A massage therapist, an establishment owner, an
  336  employee, or any third party directed by the establishment owner
  337  or employee may not place, publish, or distribute, or cause to
  338  be placed, published, or distributed, any advertisement in any
  339  advertising medium which states prostitution services, escort
  340  services, or sexual services are available.
  341         (3)A massage therapist, an establishment owner, an
  342  employee, or any third party directed by the massage therapist,
  343  establishment owner, or employee may not place, publish, or
  344  distribute, or cause to be placed, published, or distributed,
  345  any online advertisement on any website known for advertising
  346  prostitution services, escort services, or sexual services
  347  Pending licensure of a new massage establishment under s.
  348  480.043(7), the license number of a licensed massage therapist
  349  who is an owner or principal officer of the establishment may be
  350  used in lieu of the license number for the establishment.
  351         Section 7. Subsection (2) of section 480.0475, Florida
  352  Statutes, is amended to read:
  353         480.0475 Massage establishments; prohibited practices.—
  354         (2) A person operating a massage establishment may not use
  355  or permit the establishment to be used as a principal or
  356  temporary domicile for, to shelter or harbor, or as sleeping or
  357  napping quarters for any person unless the establishment is
  358  zoned for residential use under a local ordinance.
  359         Section 8. Section 480.0535, Florida Statutes, is amended
  360  to read:
  361         480.0535 Documents required while working in a massage
  362  establishment; penalties; reporting.—
  363         (1) In order to provide the department and law enforcement
  364  agencies the means to more effectively identify, investigate,
  365  and arrest persons engaging in human trafficking, an employee a
  366  person employed by a massage establishment and any person
  367  performing massage therapy in a massage establishment therein
  368  must immediately present, upon the request of an investigator of
  369  the department or a law enforcement officer, valid government
  370  identification while in the establishment. An investigator of
  371  the department must request valid government identification from
  372  all employees while in the establishment. A valid government
  373  identification for the purposes of this section is:
  374         (a) A valid, unexpired driver license issued by any state,
  375  territory, or district of the United States;
  376         (b) A valid, unexpired identification card issued by any
  377  state, territory, or district of the United States;
  378         (c) A valid, unexpired United States passport;
  379         (d) A naturalization certificate issued by the United
  380  States Department of Homeland Security;
  381         (e) A valid, unexpired alien registration receipt card
  382  (green card); or
  383         (f) A valid, unexpired employment authorization card issued
  384  by the United States Department of Homeland Security.
  385         (2) A person operating a massage establishment must:
  386         (a) Immediately present, upon the request of an
  387  investigator of the department or a law enforcement officer:
  388         1. Valid government identification while in the
  389  establishment.
  390         2. A copy of the documentation specified in paragraph
  391  (1)(a) for each employee and any person performing massage
  392  therapy in the establishment.
  393         3.A copy of the documents required under s. 480.043(14)(d)
  394  and (f).
  395         (b) Ensure that each employee and any person performing
  396  massage therapy in the massage establishment is able to
  397  immediately present, upon the request of an investigator of the
  398  department or a law enforcement officer, valid government
  399  identification while in the establishment.
  400         (3) A person who violates any provision of this section
  401  commits:
  402         (a) For a first violation, a misdemeanor of the second
  403  degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
  404         (b) For a second violation, a misdemeanor of the first
  405  degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
  406         (c) For a third or subsequent violation, a felony of the
  407  third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083,
  408  or s. 775.084.
  409         (4)The department shall notify a federal immigration
  410  office if a person operating a massage establishment, an
  411  employee, or any person performing massage therapy in a massage
  412  establishment fails to provide valid government identification
  413  as required under this section.
  414         Section 9. Subsection (3) of section 823.05, Florida
  415  Statutes, is amended to read:
  416         823.05 Places and groups engaged in certain activities
  417  declared a nuisance; abatement and enjoinment.—
  418         (3) A massage establishment as defined in s. 480.033 which
  419  operates in violation of s. 480.043(14)(a) or (f), s. 480.0475,
  420  or s. 480.0535(2) is declared a nuisance and may be abated or
  421  enjoined as provided in ss. 60.05 and 60.06.
  422         Section 10. For the 2024-2025 fiscal year, eight full-time
  423  equivalent positions, with associated salary rate of 593,954,
  424  are authorized and the sums of $925,080 in recurring and
  425  $108,952 in nonrecurring funds from the Medical Quality
  426  Assurance Trust Fund are appropriated to the Department of
  427  Health for the purpose of implementing this act.
  428         Section 11. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.

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