More Positive Developments for the Missouri Yoga Community!

February 4, 2016

On Wednesday, the Missouri House Committee on General Laws passed HB 1681 – supported by Yoga Alliance – a bill to exempt Missouri YTTs from burdensome and unnecessary regulation by the Missouri Department of Higher Education. It passed with a unanimous vote of 7-0! This comes after unanimous passage of the bill last week by the House Emerging Issues Committee.

We are thankful to Committee Chairman Caleb Jones, a strong supporter of this legislation, for his help in achieving swift passage. We are incredibly pleased with the progress we have made in Missouri over the past two weeks, after several months of work to reach this milestone.

This overwhelming vote in favor of the legislation affirms that our message is resonating. Legislators in two different committees have now supported our position that yoga teacher training programs (YTTs) are primarily for personal advancement and growth and should not be regulated as proprietary schools.

At Yoga Alliance we are focusing our advocacy efforts to remove the substantial burdens placed on YTTs in the form of fees and extra paperwork – these regulations do not help the consumer but do add unnecessary paperwork and expenses for small businesses. We will continue to combat unfair regulations that may prevent studios from offering teacher training programs.

What's Next?

We expect the bill to make its way onto the House calendar for a vote in the Missouri House of Representatives. We will keep you posted on our continuing progress and as more developments arise!

How You Can Help:

We are one step closer to the finish line! Yoga Alliance has been proud to champion the rights of YTTs in Missouri and for the broader yoga community. Please help us reach the finish line with a financial contribution to support our advocacy efforts in Missouri.