Revisions made to last year’s ordinance for massage businesses in Billings do little to fix its issues in the eyes of many licensed massage therapists. Last year, a city ordinance was introduced with the intention of inhibiting sex trafficking in the form of brothels disguising themselves as massage businesses.
The ordinance required massage therapists to purchase additional licensing along with a number of facility alterations, background checks, and more in order to continue their work. However, many massage therapists felt that the ordinance would only hurt the law-abiding practitioners while leaving large loopholes for the brothels that use the words “spa” or “massage” on their building.
Susan Carlson and Deborah Kimmet, of the Business League for Massage Therapy and Bodywork have raised concerns in relation to much of the phrasing and implications of the previous ordinance. However, upon receiving the updated version from this year, Deborah explained, “There have been no impactful changes from the previous draft that was discussed at a stakeholder’s meeting last year.” She went on to say that, “If the aim is to stop human trafficking, this ordinance does not do that, and only places more burdens on legally practicing therapists.”
Deborah pointed out a number of issues with the ordinance; however, she also put in the effort to establish some alternate solutions. One of her most prominent points of contention is the perceived entanglement of the professional practice of the licensed massage therapists (LMT) and the adult entertainment or sexually oriented industries by singling out LMT’s with the ordinance. “A generalized approach to human trafficking and prostitution is applicable to all businesses where the problem occurs. This includes restaurants, hotels, nail salons, construction sites, massage businesses, etc. The point here is not to single out massage therapists,” she stated. One of her solutions to the issue would be to enforce the Landlord Education Program.
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