AN ACT to establish the north carolina Healing Arts Commission and to create licensure processes for reflexologists and music therapists.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  Chapter 90 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article to read:

Article 44.

Healing Arts.

Part 1. North Carolina Healing Arts Commission.

§ 90‑750.1.  Title and purpose.

(a)        This Article shall be known and may be cited as the North Carolina Healing Arts Act.

(b)        The North Carolina Healing Arts Act is established to safeguard the public health, safety, and welfare; to protect the public from being harmed by unqualified persons; to assure the highest degree of professional services and conduct on the part of practitioners of the healing arts; to provide for the establishment of licensure requirements; and to ensure the availability of healing arts services of high quality to persons in need of such services.

§ 90‑750.2.  Definitions.

The following definitions apply in this Article:

(1)        Advisory committee. – A committee charged with supervising the day‑to‑day regulation of a healing arts profession. Advisory committees shall screen applicants for licensure and conduct all investigations necessary to give recommendations to the Commission.

(2)        Commission. – The North Carolina Healing Arts Commission, as established pursuant to G.S. 90‑750.3.

(3)        Healing arts. – The use of allopathic, complementary, or alternative approaches to the art and science of medicine for the prevention, identification, and treatment of human physical or mental conditions, diseases, ailments, illnesses, infirmities, pain, defects, or injuries and the promotion and restoration of health and wellness.

(4)        Healing arts profession. – Any of the professions listed in G.S. 90‑750.8.

(5)        North Carolina Healing Arts License. – A license in a healing arts profession issued pursuant to this Article.

§ 90‑750.3.  North Carolina Healing Arts Commission; composition; terms; compensation.

(a)        Establishment. – The North Carolina Healing Arts Commission is hereby created. The Commission shall consist of the following members appointed to three‑year terms as follows:

(1)        One reflexologist appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

(2)        One music therapist appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(3)        One reflexologist appointed by the Governor.

(4)        One music therapist appointed by the Governor.

(5)        One member of the public appointed by the Governor.

(b)        Vacancies. – Any vacancies on the Commission shall be filled by the appointing authority as provided in subsection (a) of this section, except that any vacancy in appointments by the General Assembly shall be filled in accordance with G.S. 120‑122. Individuals appointed to fill vacancies shall serve until the normal expiration of the term they were appointed to fill.

(c)        Qualifications. –

(1)        All members appointed to the Commission shall be citizens of the United States and residents of the State of North Carolina.

(2)        All members appointed to the Commission, except for the public member appointed by the Governor under subdivision (5) of subsection (a) of this section, shall be required to hold a North Carolina Healing Arts License in their respective profession, and remain in good standing for the duration of their terms.

(3)        Public members of the Commission shall not be:

a.         An agent or employee trained or experienced in the practice of healing arts.

b.         An agent or employee of a person engaged in the practice of healing arts.

c.         A spouse of an individual licensed pursuant to this Article.

d.         Any person with significant financial interest in a health service or profession.

(d)       New Healing Arts Professions. – Any healing arts professions created after January 1, 2026, shall have two members on the Commission, both of whom shall serve three‑year terms. One of these members shall be appointed by the Governor. The second member shall be appointed by the General Assembly. The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall make a recommendation to be approved by the General Assembly for the first term, and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall make a recommendation to be approved by the General Assembly for the second term. The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall thereafter alternate recommendations for subsequent terms.

(e)        Removal. – The Commission may remove any of its members for neglect of duty, incompetence, or unprofessional conduct. A member subject to disciplinary proceedings as a licensed healing arts professional shall be disqualified from participating in the official business of the Commission until the charges have been resolved. Any member of the Commission may be removed from office by the Governor for good cause shown.

(f)        Compensation of Members; Meetings. – A Commission member may not receive compensation but may receive reimbursement as provided in G.S. 93B‑5. The officers of the Commission shall include a chair, a secretary, and any other officers deemed necessary by the Commission to carry out the purposes of this Article. All officers shall be elected annually by the Commission at its first meeting held after appointments to the Commission are made. The Commission shall hold a meeting within 45 days after the appointment of new Commission members. All officers shall serve one‑year terms and shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified. No person shall chair the Commission for more than five consecutive years. The Commission may adopt rules governing the calling, holding, and conducting of regular and special meetings. A majority of Commission members present and voting constitutes a quorum, and no action may be taken without a quorum.

§ 90‑750.4.  Powers of the Commission.

The Commission shall have the following powers and duties:

(1)        Administer, coordinate, and enforce the provisions of this Article.

(2)        Adopt, amend, or repeal rules necessary to conduct its business, carry out its duties, and administer this Article.

(3)        Appoint and maintain advisory committees to fulfill the daily regulation of healing arts professions.

(4)        Issue, renew, deny, suspend, or revoke Healing Arts Licenses, order probation, issue reprimands, and conduct any disciplinary actions authorized by this Article.

(5)        Authorize expenditures deemed necessary to carry out the provisions of this Article from fees paid to the Commission pursuant to this Article.

(6)        Remit to advisory committees funds sufficient for those advisory committees to carry out their duties.

(7)        Conduct investigations for the purpose of discovering violations of this Article or grounds for disciplinary actions.

(8)        Conduct any administrative hearings necessary for the administration of this Article, including disciplinary hearings to enforce the provisions of this Article.

(9)        Establish fees as necessary for the administration of this Article.

§ 90‑750.5.  Expenses and fees.

(a)        All fees shall be payable to and deposited in the name of the Commission in financial institutions designated by the Commission as official depositories. These fees shall be used to carry out the purposes of this Article.

(b)        All salaries, compensation, and expenses incurred or allowed to carry out the purposes of this Article shall be paid by the Commission exclusively out of the fees received by the Commission as authorized by this Article or funds received from other sources. In no case shall any salary, expense, or other obligation authorized by this Article be charged against the State treasury.

(c)        The Commission shall establish fees for healing arts professions not exceeding the following amounts:

(1)....... Issuance of a North Carolina Healing Arts License........................... $300.00

(2)....... License application and examination................................................. $200.00

(3)....... North Carolina Healing Arts License renewal (annually).................. $350.00

(4)....... Late renewal....................................................................................... $200.00.

§ 90‑750.6.  Violations.

(a)        Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, any person violating any provision of this Article shall be punished as follows:

(1)        For the first violation, the individual shall receive a written warning.

(2)        For the second violation, the individual shall be subject to a civil penalty of no more than two hundred dollars ($200.00).

(3)        For the third and each subsequent violation, the individual shall be subject to a civil penalty of no more than two hundred dollars ($200.00) for each violation and shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

(b)        The clear proceeds of a civil penalty assessed under this section shall be remitted to the Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund in accordance with G.S. 115C‑457.2.

§ 90‑750.7.  Injunction.

As an additional remedy, the Commission may proceed in superior court to enjoin and restrain any person from violating the prohibitions of this Article. The Commission shall not be required to post bond when seeking an injunction pursuant to this section.

§ 90‑750.8.  Healing arts professions.

The following are the healing arts professions subject to this Article:

(1)        Reflexologists.

(2)        Music therapists.

§ 90‑750.9.  Third‑party reimbursement.

Nothing in this Article shall be construed to require direct third‑party reimbursement to persons licensed under this Article.

Part 2. Reflexology.

§ 90‑750.10.  Reflexology as a healing arts profession.

It is the policy of this State that the practice of reflexology shall be considered a healing arts profession.

§ 90‑750.11.  Definitions.

The following definitions apply in this Part:

(1)        Certifying entity. – The American Reflexology Certification Board or its successor.

(2)        Committee. – The North Carolina Reflexology Advisory Committee.

(3)        National certification. – A determination by the certifying entity that an individual has passed the certifying entity's national exam and that the individual has an active status with the certifying entity.

(4)        North Carolina Licensed Reflexologist. – An individual that (i) is certified by the certifying entity as a certified reflexologist and (ii) has been issued a North Carolina Healing Arts License in reflexology by the Commission.

(5)        Reflexology. – A protocol of manual techniques, including thumb‑ and finger‑walking, hook and backup, and rotating‑on‑a‑point, that are applied to specific reflex areas predominantly on the feet and hands and that stimulate the complex neural pathways linking body systems and support the body's efforts to function optimally. The practice of reflexology is not massage and bodywork therapy as defined in Article 36 of this Chapter.

§ 90‑750.12.  North Carolina Reflexology Advisory Committee.

(a)        Establishment. – The North Carolina Reflexology Advisory Committee is created. The Committee consists of three members serving staggered terms. The initial Committee members shall be appointed on or before January 1, 2026, as follows:

(1)        The Commission shall appoint from a list of names submitted by the North Carolina Reflexology Association or its successor two reflexologists eligible for licensure under this Article. One member shall serve an initial term of three years, and one member shall serve an initial term of two years.

(2)        The Commission shall appoint one public member who shall serve an initial term of one year.

Upon the expiration of the terms of the initial Committee members, each subsequent member shall be appointed for a term of three years. The term of a member shall begin on January 1 of each year. A member shall serve until the member's successor is appointed. No member shall serve on the Committee for more than two consecutive full terms.

(b)        Qualifications. – The initial reflexologist appointees shall be citizens of the United States and North Carolina residents for at least two years prior to appointment, certified by the certifying entity as a reflexologist, and eligible to obtain a North Carolina Healing Arts License in reflexology under G.S. 90‑750.14. Upon appointment, each initial reflexologist appointee shall immediately seek to obtain a North Carolina Healing Arts License in reflexology under this Article and shall remain in good standing with the Committee during the appointee's term. Subsequent reflexologist appointees shall be citizens of the United States, residents of North Carolina, North Carolina Licensed Reflexologists, and appointed by the Commission from a list of names supplied by the North Carolina Reflexology Association or its successor. Public members of the Committee shall not be:

(1)        An agent or employee trained or experienced in the practice of reflexology.

(2)        An agent or employee of a person engaged in the practice of reflexology.

(3)        A member of a healing arts profession or a person enrolled in a program to become a member of a healing arts profession.

(4)        A spouse of an individual licensed under this Article.

(5)        Any person with significant financial interest in a health service or profession.

(c)        Meetings. – The Committee shall elect annually a chair and other officers as it deems necessary to carry out the purposes of this Article. The Committee may hold additional meetings upon the call of the chair or any two Committee members. A majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.

(d)       Compensation of Members; Expenses; Employees. – Members of the Committee shall receive no compensation for their services but shall receive per diem and necessary travel and subsistence expenses as provided in G.S. 138‑5 and G.S. 138‑6. In no event shall the State of North Carolina be liable for expenses incurred by the Committee in excess of the income derived from this Article.

§ 90‑750.13.  Powers and duties of Committee.

The Committee shall have the following powers and duties:

(1)        Administer and coordinate the provisions of this Part.

(2)        Make recommendations to the Commission to adopt, amend, or repeal rules to administer and enforce this Part.

(3)        Establish and determine qualification and fitness of applicants for a North Carolina Healing Arts License in reflexology under this Part.

(4)        Make recommendations to the Commission to issue, renew, deny, suspend, revoke, or refuse to issue or renew a North Carolina Healing Arts License in reflexology under this Article.

(5)        Make recommendations to the Commission to discipline North Carolina Licensed Reflexologists.

(6)        Advise the Commission to seek civil and criminal penalties against nonlicensed individuals engaged in the practice of reflexology.

(7)        Provide all North Carolina Licensed Reflexologists with a wallet‑sized card identifying the bearer as a North Carolina Licensed Reflexologist.

(8)        Maintain a list of all individuals in the State who hold a North Carolina Healing Arts License in reflexology.

§ 90‑750.14.  Healing arts licensure in reflexology application and requirements.

Each individual desiring to obtain a North Carolina Healing Arts License in reflexology under this Article shall apply to the Committee in accordance with the procedures and rules prescribed by the Commission. The Committee shall recommend that the Commission issue a North Carolina Healing Arts License in reflexology to any applicant who furnishes evidence satisfactory to the Committee that the applicant meets all of the following criteria:

(1)        The applicant is at least 18 years of age.

(2)        The applicant is of good moral character as determined by the Committee.

(3)        The applicant holds a national certification issued by the certifying entity.

(4)        The applicant has paid all applicable fees to the Commission as specified in G.S. 90‑750.5.

§ 90‑750.15.  License renewal.

Every North Carolina Healing Arts License in reflexology issued by the Commission shall be renewed on or before January 1 every year. The Committee shall recommend that the Commission renew the North Carolina Healing Arts License in reflexology of any individual who files a renewal application with the committee and who meets the criteria set forth in G.S. 90‑750.14.

§ 90‑750.16.  Compensation for reflexology services; prohibited acts.

(a)        Compensation may be received for reflexology services only when those services are performed by an individual holding a North Carolina Healing Arts License in reflexology. Nonlicensed individuals who provide reflexology services or who engage in the practice of reflexology are subject to the penalties in G.S. 90‑750.6 or an injunction under G.S. 90‑750.7 unless any of the following applies:

(1)        The individual is a reflexology student working to obtain a certification of completion from a nationally recognized reflexology education program.

(2)        The individual holds a certification of completion from a nationally recognized reflexology education program, and that program was completed no more than six months prior to that individual receiving compensation for reflexology services.

(b)        Unless all reflexology services are performed by individuals holding a North Carolina Healing Arts License in reflexology, a place of business where reflexology services are offered for compensation shall be subject to a civil penalty of no more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each violation and a suspension of any license to operate the business for no more than 90 days. The clear proceeds of the civil penalty assessed under this section shall be remitted to the Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund in accordance with G.S. 115C‑457.2. The Commission shall enforce the provisions of this subsection.

§ 90‑750.17.  License to be displayed; advertising.

(a)        At all places of business in which compensated reflexology services are offered, a valid and up‑to‑date license for all individuals offering compensated reflexology services shall be displayed in a prominent place.

(b)        All public advertising designed to attract clients for reflexology services shall identify that the services will be performed by an individual holding a North Carolina Healing Arts License in reflexology.

(c)        No individual shall use the title North Carolina Licensed Reflexologist unless that individual holds a valid North Carolina Healing Arts License in reflexology issued by the Commission. Individuals holding themselves out as North Carolina Licensed Reflexologists shall carry the identification card described in G.S. 90‑750.13(7) at all times when providing reflexology services. Individuals in violation of this subsection are subject to the penalties in G.S. 90‑750.6 or an injunction under G.S. 90‑750.7.

§ 90‑750.18.  Reciprocity.

The Committee may recommend that the Commission grant, upon application and payment of proper fees, a North Carolina Healing Arts License in reflexology to a person who has been licensed or certified to practice reflexology in another state or territory of the United States whose standards of competency are substantially equivalent to the requirements for licensure provided in this Article.

§ 90‑750.19.  Exemptions.

This Part shall not apply to an individual who may apply pressure to the reflex areas on the hands, feet, and outer ears in the regular course of that individual's work, so long as (i) the individual is licensed by this State as a massage and bodywork therapist, physician, chiropractor, acupuncturist, physical therapist, cosmetologist, registered nurse, or as a member of other professions licensed by the State and (ii) this application of pressure to the reflex areas on the hands, feet, and outer ears accounts for no more than twenty‑five percent (25%) of that individual's work.

Part 3. Music Therapy.

§ 90‑750.20.  Music therapy as a healing arts profession.

It is the policy of this State that the practice of music therapy shall be considered a healing arts profession.

§ 90‑750.21.  Definitions.

The following definitions apply in this Part:

(1)        Certifying entity. – The Certification Board for Music Therapists or its successor.

(2)        Committee. – The North Carolina Music Therapy Advisory Committee.

(3)        Music therapy. – The clinical and evidence‑based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program, including (i) assessment of a client's emotional, physical, and spiritual health; social functioning; communication abilities; and cognitive skills through the client's history and observation and interaction of the client in music and nonmusic settings, (ii) development and implementation of treatment plans, based on a client's assessed needs, using music interventions, including music improvisation, receptive music listening, song writing, lyric discussion, music and imagery, music performance, learning through music, and movement to music, and (iii) evaluation and documentation of the client's response to treatment.

(4)        Music therapy services. – The provision of services to accomplish music therapy goals, including (i) conducting an individualized assessment for the purpose of collecting systematic, comprehensive, and accurate data necessary to determine the course of action subsequent to the individualized treatment plan, (ii) planning and developing the individualized music therapy treatment plan that identifies an individual's goals, objectives, and potential treatment intervention strategies, (iii) implementing the individualized music therapy treatment plan consistent with the individual's overall treatment program, (iv) systematically evaluating and comparing the individual's response to the individualized music therapy treatment plan and suggesting modifications, as appropriate, (v) developing a discharge plan in collaboration with the individual, the individual's family, treatment team, and other identified support networks, when appropriate, (vi) minimizing the impact of environmental constraints as a barrier to participation in least restrictive environments for individuals engaging in music therapy, (vii) collaborating with and educating the individual, family, caregiver, and others to foster an environment responsive to the developmental needs of the individual as addressed in music therapy, and (viii) consulting with groups, programs, organizations, or communities to improve accessibility to music therapy services.

(5)        National certification. – A determination by the certifying entity that an individual has satisfied the certifying entity's requirements and that the individual has an active status with the certifying entity.

(6)        North Carolina Licensed Music Therapist. – An individual who has been issued a North Carolina Healing Arts License in music therapy by the Commission.

§ 90‑750.22.  North Carolina Music Therapy Advisory Committee.

(a)        Establishment. – The North Carolina Music Therapy Advisory Committee is created. The Committee consists of three members serving staggered terms. The initial Committee members shall be appointed on or before January 1, 2026, as follows:

(1)        The Commission shall appoint from a list of names submitted by the Music Therapy Association of North Carolina or its successor two music therapists eligible to obtain a North Carolina Healing Arts License in music therapy under this Article. One member shall serve an initial term of three years, and one member shall serve an initial term of two years.

(2)        The Commission shall appoint one public member who shall serve an initial term of one year.

Upon the expiration of the terms of the initial Committee members, each subsequent member shall be appointed for a term of three years. The term of a member shall begin on January 1 of each year. A member shall serve until the member's successor is appointed. No member shall serve on the Committee for more than two consecutive full terms.

(b)        Qualifications. – The initial music therapist appointees shall be citizens of the United States and North Carolina residents for at least two years prior to appointment, certified by the certifying entity as a music therapist, and eligible to obtain a North Carolina Healing Arts License in music therapy under G.S. 90‑750.24. Upon appointment, each initial music therapist appointee shall immediately seek to obtain a North Carolina Healing Arts License in music therapy under this Article and shall remain in good standing with the Committee during the appointee's term. Subsequent music therapist appointees shall be citizens of the United States, residents of North Carolina, North Carolina Licensed Music Therapists, and appointed by the Commission from a list of names supplied by the Music Therapy Association of North Carolina or its successor. Public members of the Committee shall not be:

(1)        An agent or employee trained or experienced in the practice of music therapy.

(2)        An agent or employee of a person engaged in the practice of music therapy.

(3)        A member of a healing arts profession or a person enrolled in a program to become a member of a healing arts profession.

(4)        A spouse of an individual licensed under this Article.

(5)        Any person with significant financial interest in a health service or profession.

(c)        Meetings. – The Committee shall elect annually a chair and other officers as it deems necessary to carry out the purposes of this Article. The Committee may hold additional meetings upon the call of the chair or any two Committee members. A majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.

(d)       Compensation of Members; Expenses; Employees. – Members of the Committee shall receive no compensation for their services but shall receive per diem and necessary travel and subsistence expenses as provided in G.S. 138‑5 and G.S. 138‑6. In no event shall the State of North Carolina be liable for expenses incurred by the Committee in excess of the income derived from this Article.

§ 90‑750.23.  Powers and duties of Committee.

The Committee shall have the following powers and duties:

(1)        Administer and coordinate the provisions of this Part.

(2)        Make recommendations to the Commission to adopt, amend, or repeal rules to administer and enforce this Part.

(3)        Establish and determine qualification and fitness of applicants for a North Carolina Healing Arts License in music therapy under this Part.

(4)        Make recommendations to the Commission to issue, renew, deny, suspend, revoke, or refuse to issue or renew a North Carolina Healing Arts License in music therapy under this Article.

(5)        Make recommendations to the Commission to discipline North Carolina Licensed Music Therapists.

(6)        Advise the Commission to seek civil and criminal penalties against nonlicensed individuals engaged in the practice of music therapy.

(7)        Provide all North Carolina Licensed Music Therapists with a wallet‑sized card identifying the bearer as a North Carolina Licensed Music Therapist.

(8)        Maintain a list of all individuals in the State who hold a North Carolina Healing Arts License in music therapy.

§ 90‑750.24.  North Carolina Healing Arts License in music therapy requirements.

Each individual desiring to obtain a North Carolina Healing Arts License in music therapy under this Article shall apply to the Committee in accordance with the procedures and rules prescribed by the Commission. The Committee shall recommend that the Commission issue a North Carolina Healing Arts License in music therapy to any applicant who furnishes evidence satisfactory to the Committee that the applicant meets all of the following criteria:

(1)        Is 18 years of age or older.

(2)        Is of good moral character as determined by the Committee.

(3)        Has successfully completed an academic program accredited by the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) with at least a bachelor's degree majoring in music therapy from an accredited college or university.

(4)        Has successfully completed the certification examination offered by the certifying entity to become a Music Therapist‑Board Certified (MT‑BC).

(5)        Has successfully completed a minimum of 1,200 hours of clinical training with at least 180 hours in preinternship experiences and at least 900 hours in internship experiences. For purposes of this subdivision, the internship may be approved by an academic institution, the AMTA, or both.

(6)        Has paid all applicable fees to the Commission as specified under G.S. 90‑750.5.

§ 90‑750.25.  License renewal.

Every North Carolina Healing Arts License in music therapy issued by the Commission shall be renewed on or before January 1 every five years. The Committee shall recommend that the Commission renew the license of any individual who files a renewal application with the Committee and who meets the licensure criteria set forth in G.S. 90‑750.24.

§ 90‑750.26.  Compensation for music therapy services; prohibited acts.

Compensation may be received for music therapy services only when those services are performed by an individual holding a North Carolina Healing Arts License in music therapy. Nonlicensed individuals who provide music therapy services or who engage in the practice of music therapy are subject to the penalties in G.S. 90‑750.6 or an injunction under G.S. 90‑750.7.

§ 90‑750.27.  North Carolina Licensed Music Therapist.

No individual shall use the title North Carolina Licensed Music Therapist unless that individual holds a valid North Carolina Healing Arts License in music therapy issued by the Commission. Individuals holding themselves out as North Carolina Licensed Music Therapists shall carry the identification card described in G.S. 90‑750.23(7) at all times when providing music therapy. Individuals in violation of this section are subject to the penalties in G.S. 90‑750.6 or an injunction under G.S. 90‑750.7.

§ 90‑750.28.  Reciprocity.

The Committee may recommend that the Commission grant, upon application and payment of proper fees, a North Carolina Healing Arts License in music therapy to a person who has been licensed or certified to practice music therapy in another state or territory of the United States whose standards of competency are substantially equivalent to the requirements for licensure provided in this Article.

SECTION 1.(b)  G.S. 90‑624 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

(9)      A licensed reflexologist engaged in the practice of reflexology, as defined in G.S. 90‑750.11.

SECTION 2.(a)  Notwithstanding G.S. 90‑750.3, as enacted by Section 1(a) of this act, the North Carolina Healing Arts Commission shall be appointed as follows:

(1)        The General Assembly, upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, shall appoint one reflexologist to serve an initial term of three years.

(2)        The General Assembly, upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, shall appoint one music therapist to serve an initial term of two years.

(3)        The Governor shall appoint one reflexologist to serve an initial term of three years.

(4)        The Governor shall appoint one music therapist to serve an initial term of two years.

(5)        The Governor shall appoint one member of the public who shall serve an initial term of three years.

SECTION 2.(b)  The reflexologists appointed to the Commission pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall have been North Carolina residents for at least two years prior to appointment, certified by a national entity that certifies reflexologists, and eligible for licensure under G.S. 90‑750.14, as enacted by Section 1(a) of this act. Upon appointment, the reflexologist appointees shall seek to obtain a North Carolina Healing Arts License in reflexology as soon as the first application period begins and shall remain in good standing with the Commission.

SECTION 2.(c)  The music therapists appointed to the Commission pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall have been North Carolina residents for at least two years prior to appointment, certified by a national entity that certifies music therapists, and eligible for licensure under G.S. 90‑750.24, as enacted pursuant to Section 1(a) of this act. Upon appointment, the initial music therapist appointees shall seek to obtain a North Carolina Healing Arts License in music therapy as soon as the first application period begins and shall remain in good standing with the Commission.

SECTION 2.(d)  The appointments required by this section shall be made on or before December 1, 2025, and the initial terms of the appointees shall begin on January 1, 2026. Once these initial terms expire, all vacancies shall be filled according to the provisions of G.S. 90‑750.3, as enacted in Section 1(a) of this act.

SECTION 2.(e)  G.S. 90‑750.6 and G.S. 90‑750.7, as enacted by Section 1(a) of this act, become effective on the date that is the first day of a month that begins 180 days after the Chair of the Healing Arts Commission certifies to the Revisor of Statutes that the Commission has begun accepting applications for Healing Arts Licenses and apply to acts committed on or after that date. This section and the remainder of Section 1 of this act are effective when they become law.

SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective January 1, 2026.