(a) Every massage therapist licensed pursuant to this chapter shall be required to complete 16 hours of continuing education as a condition for renewing his or her license. The continuing education courses shall be offered by providers approved by the board. The courses shall have been completed within the 24 months preceding the date renewal is due. Hours in excess of the total number required may not be carried over to future renewals. The continuing education requirements shall not apply to a massage therapist within the biennium when the massage therapist is first licensed, but shall apply to licensees every biennium thereafter. The board may accept for compliance with the continuing education requirement any of the following:

(1) Courses or providers which contribute directly to the massage therapy education of the licensee.

(2) Courses, seminars, workshops, and classes in areas related to the practice of massage therapy such as: Massage, bodywork, allied health care fields (including psychology and medicine), anatomy and physiology, business, insurance, movement therapy, stress management, yoga, CPR, and advanced first aid.

(3) Courses of study offered by registered massage therapy schools in Alabama, or by massage therapy instructors registered with the board, or by any national organization in the field of massage therapy or related touch therapy field.

(b) Up to 25 percent, or four hours of credit, of the required number of hours of continuing education may be earned in each of the following areas:

(1) Teaching a qualifying class, course, seminar, or workshop.

(2) Publishing an article in the field relating to massage therapy.

(3) Speaking on the subject of massage therapy.

(4) Being a panelist discussing massage therapy.

(5) Participating in a personal growth class.

(6) Two hours of professional ethics.

(c) Each of the areas listed in subsection (b) may be used for up to four hours of credit depending on the actual contact hours. One continuing education credit is defined as no less than 50 uninterrupted minutes of learning, except that publishing an article will automatically count for four hours. Continuing education credit may not be awarded for programs which do not relate to subjects listed in this section, or for repeated courses submitted the previous biennium, except for courses listed in subsection (b). The board may select, in a random manner, license renewal applications for audit of continuing education credit. Each licensee shall be responsible for maintaining in his or her personal files the certificates or records of credit from continuing education programs received from approved program providers. Each licensee selected for audit shall be required to produce documentation of attendance at those continuing education activities listed on his or her renewal application.

(1) The board shall send to each licensee selected for audit, a notice of audit. The licensee shall provide satisfactory documentation of attendance at, or participation in, the approved continuing education programs listed in the renewal application.

(2) The licensee shall ascertain that the continuing education program is approved by the board.

(d) The board shall evaluate applications from all providers of continuing education programs, including massage therapy schools and instructors, in order to determine if approval shall be granted or denied.

(1) The provider or licensee shall submit to the board an application on a form provided by the board. Only applications which are complete will be considered.

(2) The provider or licensee shall submit a complete application to the board at least 60 days prior to the date on which the training event is to be given to gain approval before the program is presented.

(e) The board is subject to the Alabama Sunset Law of 1981, and is classified as an enumerated agency pursuant to Section 41-20-3. The board shall automatically terminate on October 1, 2007, and every four years thereafter, unless continued pursuant to the Alabama Sunset Law.