SB 39 Louisiana Senate · 2026 Regular Session

FEES/LICENSES/PERMITS: Provides for the licensed profession of massage therapy. (8/1/26) (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

SB 39 creates a temporary provisional license for graduates of Louisiana's state-approved massage therapy schools, allowing them to work immediately after graduation. This license is valid for only three months and cannot be renewed. Businesses employing these provisional therapists must inform clients about the therapist's temporary status before services begin, and provisional therapists may only work at facilities with fully licensed therapists on staff. The bill directly affects new massage therapy graduates and the businesses that hire them.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

May 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Feb 10, 2026 Signed May 29, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB39 Original → SB39 Act 452 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill converts a temporary, one-year pilot program for provisional massage therapy licenses into permanent law. It removes the December 31, 2025 expiration date, allowing graduates of state-approved schools to work immediately upon graduation without a waiting period indefinitely. The bill also clarifies that provisionally licensed therapists must only work at facilities employing a fully licensed massage therapist.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from a temporary pilot program with a sunset provision to a permanent statutory requirement.

TIMELINE

Removed the December 31, 2025 expiration date that previously limited the provisional license program to one year.

ELIGIBILITY

Changed the legislative intent from amending existing licensure rules to enacting a new specific provision for provisional licenses.

REQUIREMENT

Added a specific requirement that provisionally licensed therapists may only work at facilities that also employ a fully licensed massage therapist.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 17, 2026 · House May 19, 2026

How they voted

39–0

Passed

Total votes 39

Mar 17, 2026

D Democratic11

11 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican28

28 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 19, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 98, nays 0. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

lower

May 13, 2026

Introduced

Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

lower

May 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably (10-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

lower

Mar 23, 2026

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.

lower

Mar 17, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read by title, passed by a vote of 37 yeas and 0 nays, and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

Mar 11, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported with amendments.

upper

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and International Affairs.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors