Regulation of Reiki in US

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I though this should be available for everyone to read and understand

what is happening legislative wize. My group defeated House of

Representatives (TEXAS) bill 367 regarding regulatio of reiki and now

we have this. AND guess who's on the board??

Carolyn

Texas Independent Reiki Practitioners Association

Charter Board Member - since 1998

 

 

John Steele <moonowl@c...>

Mon Sep 30, 2002 2:55 pm

Legislation Update on Unlicensed Healer's Legislation

 

Thought I'd forward this to those who might be interested.

Unfortunately, it's true: William Rand is supporting the regulation of

Reiki via these bills. Here's the link to the company that is behind

pushing these bills. He's on the board of directors.

http://www.nationalhealthfreedom.org/index.htm

 

Thanks,

John E. Steele

United Reiki Legal Index

http://www.sacredpath.org/html/reiki/legal/

webmaster

 

 

Legislation Update on Unlicensed Healer's Legislation:

*New York's A8704 and S4857

*New: Michigan Bill fizzles - Late Bulletin

*National Push For Legislation - damaging to spiritual healers

*Legislation Opposed by Unlicensed Healers

by Ellen Louise Kahne

 

A bill (A8704 and S4857) has been introduced into both houses of the

New York State legislature which would affect all unlicensed healers,

including those who heal in faith. These bills have been strongly

opposed by thousands of consumers and unlicensed healers through a

statewide grassroots letter writing, email and phone campaign to

public officials organized by the New York State Healer's Empowerment

Coalition and other groups and individuals, because they threaten to

violate basic constitutional rights and freedoms of healers. Healers

throughout the state have complained about not being "consulted" or

"informed" on the formulation of the bills.

 

The controversial bills, which contain eleven pages of punitive

measures against healers, are being promoted as "consumer protection"

legislation. A8704 and S4857 seek to override first, fourth and fifth

amendment constitutional protections of unlicensed healers, including

all spiritual or religious healers, rights to privacy, due process,

and against self incrimination, which would be superseded by this

proposed state legislation.

 

The bills, which would short circuit New York's legal protections

against the practice of medicine without licensing, are being promoted

by professional lobbyists for homeopaths who want the right to

practice medicine (to "evaluate" and "treat") without having either

medical licensing or qualifications, and by a few practitioners who

omit or refuse to obtain required massage or medical licensing and

qualifications, even though these healers want the right to

"diagnose,treat,evaluate,prescribe" or "manipulate tissue" in

their respective disciplines without licensing or demonstrating

competency before any state regulatory boards.

 

The proposed legislation, which would allow "anonymous" consumer

complaints, would be costly to enforce through the New York State

Health Commissioner, and would infringe directly upon spiritual and

traditional practices. Christian Science, Anthroposophy, Reiki, along

with a catchall of unlicensed healing modalities including (but not

limited to) "food, food supplements, nutrients, yoga, Qi Gong, aroma

therapy, heat, cold, water, color, touch and light, (native American

and other) culturally traditional healing practices, folk practices,"

etc. would be affected.

 

Typical of so-called "health freedom" legislation which has been

proposed recently in Michigan, and California, New York's proposed

bills are a poor, ineffective and unnecessary piece of legislation

which would threaten healers with unfair enforcement procedures,

violate legal rights and protections and raise costs of alternative

healing. Unlicensed healers could face fines, disciplinary actions, or

permanently lose the right to practice without due process, due to

anonymous or false claims or failure to answer a complaint (lost in

the mail). Opponents cite sufficient state legal protections to

address any abuses under current civil and criminal statutes as added

reasons to oppose A8704 and S4857.

 

Historically, legal action against unlicensed healers has been very

rare. Lobbyists, who have used scare tactics to encourage support of

this legislation in the spiritual healing community, could not cite

one instance of civil or criminal violation for the practice of Reiki

healing in the United States or U.S. territories since 1937, when

Reiki spiritual laying on of hands healing arrived on these shores

from Japan.

 

Ellen Louise Kahne is the founder of Reiki University® and Reiki Peace

Network® and the New York State Healer's Empowerment Coalition. For

more information on how to oppose A8704 and S4857, see

www.ReikiPeaceNetwork.com or contact the following:

 

email: HealNet or phone: 1-877-HealNet (877-432-5638) (Note:

The above article appeared in To Your Health Magazine,

September/October issue).

 

Game Called For Lack of Interest

Michigan Bill fizzles - Late Bulletin

 

According to Michigan sources, efforts to mobilize legislation to

regulate unlicensed healers in the state of Michigan have collapsed

because of lack of interest. A meeting was called in the past several

weeks and a (currently) non functional website link was set up by the

homeopathic lobby for so-called "health freedom" legislation in

Michigan but did not generate enough interest or support to push

legislative proposals (punitive to spiritual healers and teachers)

forward in that state, which were to be modeled on similar attempts in

New York and California.

 

The Michigan, California and New York proposed bills are part of a

national push by the homeopathic lobby and other unlicensed healing

groups who currently fall under massage licensing statutes (that is,

they "manipulate tissue" or in some way fit the legal definition of

massage) to secure the right to engage in medical practice (to

"evaluate" and "treat") illness without either medical qualifications

or appropriate licensing. This is at the heart of New York's proposed

legislation, A8704 and S4857. Please note: Reiki healing is not

massage and does not fit the legal definition of massage

("manipulation of tissues, use of oils, devices, etc.") and this has

been recognized by New York's massage board which ruled, Feb. 23, 1999

that Reiki is not massage (see the front page of the Wall St. Journal).

 

These bills (and regulation of Reiki spiritual healing) have been

openly supported by William Rand, head of the Center For Reiki

Training. Mr. Rand, a Michigan Reiki Master, serves on the board of

Trustees for homeopath-attorney Diane Miller's National Health Freedom

Coalition and Rand has publicly reversed his (former) long standing

opposition to regulating Reiki healing, despite the fact that Reiki is

not in any jeopardy of prosecution, nor has the practice of Reiki ever

been prosecuted in the United States, or U.S. territories.

 

Reiki groups and individual practitioners and Masters in New York,

Florida, Texas and other states have overwhelmingly opposed any

regulation of Reiki and have organized and fought to insure that Reiki

empowerments, and options to choose training and Reiki healing with

the practitioner or Reiki Master of the client's selection remain

open, available and affordable to all.

 

When asked repeatedly (by email and phone), attorney Diane Miller, Mr.

Rand, attorney Carolyn Rider, head of NYNHP, which is pushing for New

York's punitive bill, could not cite a single instance of prosecution

of the constitutionally (U.S. first amendment) protected practice of

Reiki in any state, or municipality since 1937, when Hawayo Takata

studied, then transported Reiki healing from Japan to Hawaii, and

later to the U.S. mainland.

 

So, why is this proposed legislation (including New York's 11 pages of

punitive measures against all unlicensed alternative healers,

including Christian Scientists and all those who pray and lay on hands

in faith, hold sweat lodges and spiritual healing retreats, etc.)

necessary to be passed at all?

 

There are sufficient laws on the books to prosecute fraud, criminal

and/or civil abuse, etc. in every state and on the federal level.

 

These proposals are vital only for unlicensed homeopaths and healers

who seek to openly practice medicine without a license or proper

training and qualifications (which is illegal in every state) and to

water down this protective state legislation against diagnosis (read

"evaluation") and "treatment" without medical licensure. The practice

of medicine by unqualified unlicensed practitioners is a danger to the

public Reiki is spiritual healing which does not harm, nor do Reiki

practitioners "diagnoseevaluate" or "treat" illness unless

medically qualified and licensed to do so. Homeopathy and naturopathy

can be practiced (currently) under alternative medical laws by

qualified medically licensed and supervised MDs and nurse

practitioners, etc. in New York, for instance, which has passed a

complementary and alternative care bill for licensed practitioners.

 

Yoga Masters, native American healers, Qi Gong instructors, Reiki

Masters and a catchall of unlicensed self improvement, and spiritual

modality practitioners, their students and clients are in danger of

losing their constitutionally protected rights to privacy, due

process, spiritual practice, and against self incrimination according

to New York's proposed punitive legislation.

 

The New York assembly bill is currently in the Higher Education

Committee, chaired by Assemblyman Ed Sullivan. All those who wish to

express concern and opposition to the bill (that's the entire Reiki

community) are urged to contact the following by mail and phone, as

well as by visiting their Albany and local offices:

 

Contact New York Legislators NOW!! You can locate your assembly person

and/or access bill A8704:

 

www.assembly.state.ny.us

 

You can locate your NY State senator and/or access bill S4857:

 

www.senate.state.ny.us

 

Governor George E. Pataki

State Capitol

Albany, NY 12224

(regarding S4857) (regarding A 8704)

 

Hon. Joseph Bruno, NY Senate Maj. leader Hon. Sheldon Silver, NY

Assembly Speaker

909 Legislative Office Building 932 Legislative Office Building

Albany, NY 11247 Albany, NY 12248

(bill sponsors A8704- NY Assembly): (bill sponsor S4857 - NY Senate):

 

Rep. Michael Gianaris Sen. Kemp Hannon

22-77 31st St., Suite 107 1600 Stewart Ave., Suite 315

Astoria, NY 11105 Westbury, NY 11590

 

and

 

Rep. Vivian Cook

142-15 Rockaway Blvd.

Jamaica, NY 11432