Springs lawmaker introduces bill to fix massage therapy license loophole uncovered by 13 Investigates

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Nearly three years after 13 Investigates uncovered a massage therapy license loophole, a Colorado Springs state lawmaker is finally working to fix it.

If passed, a new bill would give stricter regulation of massage therapists who lie about their credentials.

In our ongoing investigation into illicit massage parlors, 13 Investigates found that the Department of Regulatory Agencies in Colorado has no meaningful authority to discipline massage therapists who have cheated on their exams to get a massage therapy license.

Now, Republican assemblywoman Terri Carver is working to give the agency the ability to actually do something about the problem.

In 2019, a federal indictment by the Department of Justice revealed two instructors from a fake massage school based in Aurora falsified credentials and created cheat sheets with answers to the state license exam.

Those accused were arrested and sentenced shortly after.

However, the problem of the fake licenses and diplomas wasn't addressed because the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) in Colorado, which oversees massage licenses, does not have the legal authority to verify licenses issued from fake schools.

Rep. Carver introduced legislation aimed at giving DORA that authority.

If passed, it would allow the agency to take disciplinary action against a massage therapist that falsified information on any applications or obtained or attempted to obtain a license by fraud, deception or misrepresentation.

Carver tells 13 Investigates she is working on another bill that would help shut down illicit massage spas in Colorado.