Save Shiatsu in Maryland

"No man's life, liberty or property are safe while the Legislature is in session."

Dear shiatsu and massage colleagues, clients, and friends,

I am urgently asking you help on behalf of myself and other Asian Bodywork therapists and massage therapists in Maryland.

A shockingly ignorant bill in the Maryland legislature would define Asian Bodywork Therapy and acupressure -- the healing arts I have taught to massage therapy students at PMTI and CCBC, hold national certification in, and have been practicing at Baltimore's Mercy Hospital for years as a member of the medical staff -- to be the exclusive province of acupuncturists.

This would destroy the practice of Asian Bodywork Therapy in Maryland.

If this bill passes I will no longer be able to offer you the services I have been for over 20 years. I will no longer be able to teach them to massage therapy students so that their clients can benefit.

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, there will be hearings on this bill February 10 and 11.

Email Key Legislators

I am asking all of my clients and friends to immediately contact the sponsors of this bill:

Delegate Jennifer White Holland jennifer.white@house.maryland.gov
Senator Malcolm Augustine malcolm.augustine@senate.maryland.gov

the chair and vice chair of the Senate finance committee:

Senator Pamela Beidle pamela.beidle@senate.maryland.gov
Senator Antonio Hayes antonio.hayes@senate.maryland.gov

and the chair and vice chair of the House health committee:

Delegate Heather Bagnall heather.bagnall@house.maryland.gov
Delegate Bonnie Cullison bonnie.cullison@house.maryland.gov

to register your opposition to SB0370 and HB0374.

You can also contact your own state representatives as well, you can find them here: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/members/district

Sample Text for Clients

Dear Senators and Delegates:

I am writing to you in strong opposition to SB0370 / HB0374. As the client of an Asian Bodywork therapist I have benefited from acupressure and other manual therapies in the East Asian tradition, and know they are safe and effective treatment when performed by Asian Bodywork and massage therapists. I am disappointed and upset to learn that the Maryland General Assembly is considering a bill which would end my treatment and destroy my therapist's livelihood. Please do all you can to vigorously oppose this bad and disruptive bill. Thank you.

Sample Text for Practitioners

Dear Senators and Delegates:

I am writing to you in strong opposition to SB0370 / HB0374. As an licenced massage therapist trained in manual therapies in the East Asian tradition, I know they are safe and effective. My clients have greatly benefited from my ability to provide these therapies. I am disappointed and upset to learn that the Maryland General Assembly is considering a bill which would end my abilty to provide these treatments to clients, as well as interfering with my livelihood. Please do all you can to vigorously oppose this bad and disruptive bill. Thank you.

Written/Zoom/In Person Testimony

If you are willing to jump through hoops you can also provide written, Zoom, or in-person testimony to the Senate Finance committee on February 10, if you sign up on Friday February 6 before 6pm; or to the House Health committee on February 11 if you sign up on Monday February 9. Yes, the signup windows are short, and the process is Byzantine:

Go to https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/. On the upper right click or tap the "MyMGA" logo. On a phone or mobile device tap "Witness signup" then scroll down and use the "Create a MyMGA Tracking Account" link. On a computer click the "Register" link from the popup menu.
Once you have an account and have signed in, there will be a "Witness Signup" option in the MyMGA menu. Or try this link: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/MyMGATracking/WitnessSignup
Witness signup is only available for one day, 2 business days before a committee hearing. So on February 6 for the February 10 metting, and February 9 for the February 11 meeting.
From Witness Signup, select the committee (Finance for the Senate bill if signing up on February 6; Health for the House bill if signing up on February 9) find the bill in question (SB0370 or HB0374), check the box, select "Unfavorable", select "Written" (or one of the "both" options to also testify in person or virtually), and upload a PDF with your testimony. (I am not sure if a Word doc or other format will work, but you can try.)
Click "Save"! If you do not save, your testimony will not be sent.

For legislation nerds, the texts of the bill is available: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0370F.pdf

and the Senate and House bill progress pages:
https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/SB0370?ys=2026RS
https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0374?ys=2026RS

The relevant text:

(F) (1) “MANUAL THERAPIES” MEANS TREATMENT MODALITIES THAT
APPLY PRESSURE OR MANIPULATION USING HANDS OR ANOTHER PART OF THE
BODY ALONG POINTS OR MERIDIANS THAT NORMALIZE ELECTROMAGNETIC OR
ENERGETIC FUNCTION.

(2) “MANUAL THERAPIES” INCLUDE ACUPRESSURE OR OTHER
PRESSURE TREATMENT TECHNIQUES BASED ON EAST ASIAN MEDICAL THERAPIES.

[(f)] (G) (1) “Practice acupuncture” means the use of East Asian
medical therapies for the purpose of normalizing energetic
physiological functions including pain control, and for the
promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health.

(2) “Practice acupuncture” includes:
(i) Stimulation of the body by the insertion of needles;
(ii) The application of moxibustion; and
(iii) Manual THERAPIES, mechanical THERAPIES, thermal
THERAPIES, electrical THERAPIES, or other East Asian medical
therapies only when performed in accordance with the principles of
East Asian medical theories and practices

Thank you so much for taking the time to help SAVE SHIATSU in Maryland!

Tom Swiss
EarthTouch Shiatsu
2119 Arlonne Drive
Catonsville MD 21228
www.EarthTouchShiatsu.com
tms@EarthTouchShiatsu.com
443-803-9621

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Nationally certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Certified Practitioner, American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia. State of Maryland Licensed Massage Therapist.

Contact Tom Swiss today to schedule your shiatsu or massage session!