§ 14-124. Findings.

The city council makes the following findings regarding the need to license therapeutic massage enterprises and therapists and to prohibit all other types of massage businesses and services to the public:

(1)

Persons who have bona fide and standardized training in therapeutic massage, health, and hygiene can provide a legitimate and necessary service to the general public.

(2)

Health and sanitation regulations governing therapeutic massage enterprises and therapists can minimize the risk of the spread of communicable diseases and can promote overall health and sanitation.

(3)

License qualifications for the restrictions on therapeutic massage enterprises and therapists can minimize the risk that such businesses and persons will facilitate prostitution and other criminal activity in the community.

(4)

Massage services provided by persons with no specialized and standardized training in massage can endanger citizens by facilitating the spread of communicable diseases, by exposing citizens to unhealthy and unsanitary conditions, and by increasing the risk of personal injury.

(5)

Massage businesses which employ persons with no specialized and standardized training can tax city law enforcement services because such businesses are more likely to be operated as fronts for prostitution and other criminal activity than operations established by persons with standardized training.

(Code 1993, § 5-1.03(E)(2); Ord. No. 0-94-06, § 21, 3-23-1994)