Massage Licensing Board

(225 ILCS 57/35)     (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2032)     Sec. 35. Massage Licensing Board.     (a) The Secretary shall appoint a Massage Licensing Board, which shall serve in an advisory capacity to the Secretary. The Board shall consist of 7 members, of whom 6 shall be practicing massage therapists with at least 3 years of experience in massage. One of the massage therapist members shall represent a massage therapy school from the private sector and one of the massage therapist members shall represent a massage therapy school from the public sector. One of the massage therapist members shall be an owner of a massage business. One member of the Board shall be a member of the public who is not licensed under this Act, does not have any interest in massage therapy schools, does not own a massage therapy business, does not have any interest in businesses related to massage therapy, is not licensed as a healthcare worker in this State, as defined in the Health Care Worker Self-Referral Act, is not licensed under the Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, Hair Braiding, and Nail Technology Act of 1985, and is not licensed under similar Acts in another jurisdiction. Membership on the Board shall reasonably reflect the various massage therapy and non-exempt bodywork organizations. Membership on the Board shall reasonably reflect the geographic areas of the State. The Board shall meet annually to elect a chairperson and vice chairperson. The Board shall hold regularly scheduled meetings during the year. A simple majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum at any meeting. Any action taken by the Board must be on the affirmative vote of a simple majority of members. Voting by proxy shall not be permitted. In the case of an emergency where all Board members cannot meet in person, the Board may convene a meeting via an electronic format in accordance with the Open Meetings Act.     (b) Members shall be appointed to a 3-year term. A member whose term has expired shall continue to serve until a successor is appointed. No member shall be reappointed to the Board for a term that would cause the member's continuous service on the Board to exceed 9 years. In the case of a Board member position that is vacated before the end of the member's term, an individual may be appointed to serve the unexpired portion of that term, and appointments to fill vacancies shall be made in the same manner as the original appointments for the unexpired portion of the vacated term.     (c) The members of the Board are entitled to receive compensation for all legitimate and necessary expenses incurred while attending Board and Department meetings.     (d) Members of the Board shall be immune from suit in any action based upon any disciplinary proceedings or other activities performed in good faith as members of the Board.     (e) The Secretary may consider the recommendations of the Board on questions involving the standards of professional conduct, discipline, and qualifications of candidates and licensees under this Act. Nothing shall limit the ability of the Board to provide recommendations to the Secretary with regard to any matter affecting the administration of this Act.     (f) The Secretary may terminate the appointment of any member for cause which, in the opinion of the Secretary reasonably justifies termination, which may include, but is not limited to, a Board member who does not attend 2 consecutive meetings. (Source: P.A. 104-796, eff. 8-7-26.)