ROSEVILLE, Calif. — The Roseville City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to approve an ordinance increasing requirements for massage businesses.
According to Roseville, the main reason for updating the municipal code is to address challenges with illicit massage business activity. Of the 150 to 200 massage establishments or independent contractors in the city, about 30 are engaged in illicit massage activity, Community Service Officer Erika Broussard said at the meeting.
Roseville Assistant City Attorney Joseph Speaker said at the meeting the city is seeing an increase in unpermitted massage business, illicit massage business activity and insufficient management and record keeping.
Surrounding cities, including Rocklin, Lincoln, Citrus Heights, Folsom, Yuba, Marysville, Elk Grove and Rancho Cordova, require a statewide certification from the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC). Roseville doesn't require a CAMTC at this time. Other cities such as Auburn and Sacramento don't require a CAMTC certification but require a program from an approved school with about 200 to 250 hours of instruction. According to the city, this is at least 75 hours more than Roseville's current requirement.
Because of the heightened requirements in other cities, it's more difficult for some businesses to operate. So, according to the staff report, businesses and therapists relocated to Roseville where restrictions are more lenient.
"While the city welcomes legitimate business enterprises that wish to operate within its borders, one of the unintended consequences of the city’s existing ordinance is that many less-than-legitimate businesses and massage therapists who are unable to obtain permits or perform massage therapy services in other jurisdictions have relocated to and are operating in Roseville," according to the staff report.
A CAMTC certification isn't a requirement across the board and local agencies are allowed to have less restrictive standards within its jurisdiction.
What would the new requirements be in Roseville?
The main change would be to require all massage therapists to get a certification from the CAMTC. There would be a limited exception for existing massage therapists in the city who are in good standing and meet certain education and training requirements.
Some of the other changes include adding consistency to the business permit application process.
The ordinance includes establishing an application fee of $159 for an exemption certificate and a renewal fee of $39 to renew an exemption certificate.
Another proposed change would be prohibiting new businesses from operating at the same location within three years if it's closed for criminal activity. It's currently one year.
Find a summary of all the changes HERE.
The Director of Governmental Affairs and Human Trafficking, Beverly May, said it's a difficult balance to create an ordinance that encourages business and discourages illicit behavior.
"We feel the city has done a very good job of incorporating reasonable and cost-effective tools to prevent the hijacking of the massage profession by criminals and human traffickers, and to facilitate abating the approximately 29 establishments identified as of last April," May said.
Roseville says city staff has taken steps to notify businesses of the proposed changes. According to a letter to businesses, the new CAMTC certification requirement wouldn't go into effect until January 1, 2025. This would give businesses a grace period to become compliant.
The city council will have a second reading of the ordinance at a later meeting to fully adopt it. Watch the full meeting HERE.
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