HB892: HB892 Professions and businesses; prohibit massage therapy businesses from operating during certain set hours

Georgia currently regulates massage therapy licensing and practice under a section of state law (O.C.G.A. § 43-24A-3) but does not set operating hours for massage businesses. This bill, as substituted by a Senate committee, adds a new rule saying that beginning August 1, 2026, no person or business may perform massage therapy between 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. Violating this would be a violation of the chapter covering massage therapy practice. The bill also revises the list of definitions used throughout the massage therapy law, removing the standalone definition of 'entity' and renumbering the remaining definitions for terms like 'license,' 'licensee,' 'massage therapist,' 'massage therapy,' 'massage therapy business,' 'person,' and 'provisionally permitted massage therapist.' The bill repeals any conflicting laws.

• Bans anyone from performing massage therapy between 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. starting August 1, 2026, making it a violation of Georgia's massage therapy chapter (O.C.G.A. § 43-24A-15).
• Removes the separate legal definition of 'entity' as the owner or operator of a massage therapy business from the definitions section.
• Renumbers and slightly adjusts the remaining definitions of terms such as 'license,' 'licensee,' 'massage therapist,' and 'massage therapy business.'
• Repeals any existing Georgia laws that conflict with these new rules.

Licensed massage therapists, massage therapy business owners and operators, and their clients in Georgia are directly affected, since the bill restricts when massage services can legally be provided and adjusts how key terms in the licensing law are defined.

Massage businesses that currently operate overnight, or clients who seek massage services in the early morning hours, would no longer be able to do so legally after August 1, 2026. The bill ties this restriction to the state's existing massage therapy licensing and enforcement framework.

• Section 1 revises paragraphs (5) through (12) of the definitions in O.C.G.A. § 43-24A-3, removing the standalone 'entity' definition and renumbering the remaining terms.
• Section 2 adds a new subsection (g) to O.C.G.A. § 43-24A-15 making it unlawful for any person or entity to perform massage therapy between 1:00 A.M. and 6:00 A.M., effective August 1, 2026.
• Section 3 repeals any laws or parts of laws that conflict with the Act.

1. 2026-03-16Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
2. 2026-03-12Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
3. 2026-03-09Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
4. 2026-03-06House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
5. 2026-03-06House Third Readers (House)
6. 2026-03-04House Postponed (House)
7. 2026-03-03House Postponed (House)
8. 2026-02-24House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)

• Scott Holcomb (D, HD-101)Primary sponsor
• Debbie Buckner (D, HD-137)
• Tanya Miller (D, HD-062)
• Stacey Evans (D, HD-057)
• Carter Barrett (R, HD-024)
• Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 6, 2026

   158 yea, 6 nay (2 not voting, 11 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #666

• massage therapy regulation
• business hours restrictions
• occupational licensing
• professional definitions