West Virginia House Bill HB2304

West Virginia 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/12/25
• Refer: 2/12/25

Caption

Relating to authorizing the Massage Therapy Licensure Board to promulgate a legislative rule relating to general provisions

Summary

House Bill 2304 is a rule-authorization bill. It approves a legislative rule filed by the West Virginia Massage Therapy Licensure Board, allowing the board to promulgate and enforce its “general provisions” rule, identified as 194 CSR 01. The bill does not itself create a new licensing program or substantially rewrite substantive massage therapy law; instead, it gives legislative approval to an existing administrative rule adopted under the board’s statutory authority. In practical terms, the measure confirms the board’s ability to operate under the rule as filed in the State Register on August 30, 2024. The rule is tied to the board’s authority under §30-37-6, and the bill amends §64-9-1 to list that rule among those authorized by the Legislature. This kind of bill is typically used to keep agency regulations in effect and to ensure they have the necessary legislative approval under West Virginia’s rulemaking process.

Impact

HB2304 would affect West Virginia’s administrative law framework by authorizing a specific legislative rule for the Massage Therapy Licensure Board. The bill’s legal effect is to validate the board’s general provisions rule, making it enforceable as an approved legislative rule and preserving the board’s regulatory authority over massage therapy licensing and related administrative requirements. It does not appear to change criminal penalties, tax law, or broad licensing standards directly, but it does reinforce the existing regulatory structure governing massage therapists and the board’s oversight role.

Sentiment

The available record suggests little to no controversy around HB2304. There are no committee transcripts, recorded votes, or documented objections in the provided materials, and the bill appears to be a routine administrative rule authorization measure. Bills of this type are often treated as technical or procedural, so the general sentiment is best characterized as neutral and likely supportive, with no evidence of significant opposition in the available context.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Because the bill simply authorizes a rule for the Massage Therapy Licensure Board, any disagreement would likely center on the substance of the underlying administrative rule rather than the authorization bill itself, but no such concerns are recorded here. The absence of transcripts and votes means there is no evidence of debate over licensing standards, board authority, or the scope of the general provisions rule.