MONTGOMERY — The Alabama House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a measure to relax licensing requirements for chiropractors who employ massage therapists.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. James O. Gordon, D-Saraland, is one of the state's most prominent chiropractors, but Gordon has said he does not stand to benefit because he does not have any massage therapists on staff and doesn't plan to hire any.

The Alabama Board of Massage Therapy backs the proposal.

Gordon has said it will help avoid unnecessary duplication for chiropractors' offices and simplify the licensing process.

"In the past, there was some gray area of concern, with having to have two li censes," Gordon said on the House floor.

State law currently requires that if a chiropractor's office employs a massage therapist, both the office and the massage therapist must have licenses from the massage therapy board. Offices can apply for exemptions if massage therapy is only a small part of the business.

The measure passed 96-0 on Tuesday. If Gordon's bill gains approval from the Senate and is signed by Gov. Bob Riley, all chiropractors' offices statewide will be able to employ massage therapists without having to obtain licenses or exemptions for the offices. Massage therapists would still have to be licensed.

Keith Warren, executive director of the state massage therapy board, has expressed support for Gordon's proposal, saying it would end confusion created by current law. Gordon said that the Alabama State Board of Chiropractic Examiners also backs the measure.

Gordon owns the Alabama Injury & Pain Clinic, which is known for advertisements advising accident victims to seek chiropractic treatment. The clinic has three locations in Mobile, one in Montgomery and one in Birmingham.

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