New Massage Therapist Rules OKd

The Los Angeles City Council adopted tough new regulations and training requirements for massage therapists Tuesday in an effort to stop brothels that operate under the guise of massage parlors.

“We have some very reputable people in this trade and some not-so-reputable people and this ordinance will allow police to separate the good and the bad,” said Councilman Hal Bernson, a longtime critic of adult businesses.

The ordinance brings Los Angeles in line with dozens of other municipalities in Southern California that have adopted similar laws, and it provides police with an enforcement tool they long have requested.

Under the ordinance, all massage therapists will be required to have at least 200 hours of training in a state-certified school before they can operate a business in the city.

After the first two years on the books, the law increases the amount of training required to 500 hours of class time in a state-certified school.

The ordinance also includes 20 pages of regulations, imposing guidelines on everything from lighting to proper clothing.

Several licensed massage therapists applauded the regulations, saying the guidelines will help draw a clearer line between legitimate therapists and prostitution rings that operate as massage parlors.

“The whole purpose of this was to move massage therapy out of the adult entertainment business, because that is not what we do,” said Ahmos Netanel, past president of the California chapter of the American Massage Therapy Assn.

Netanel, who founded the Massage Therapy Center in West Los Angeles, said he worked with city officials for years to draft the new ordinance.

One part of the industry that would be directly affected are the home-based massage businesses that are often advertised in local weekly newspapers.

For example, one ad advertises a “mystical massage” for $150 an hour. An answering machine message describes the masseuse as “Eva,” who is “busty and attractive.”

In an interview, “Eva” said most of the masseuses in the ads are young--about 19--and do not have a business license or training. Eva declined to say whether she is licensed and declined to comment on the new regulations.

Massage therapists already were required by city law to have a business license and a permit that is issued by the Police Commission. However, current law does not require any training.

In the late 1980s, the city had up to 80 illegal massage parlors that were fronts for prostitution and drug sales, according to a city report.

But Det. Hector Zepeda, who works in the LAPD’s administrative vice unit, said police have cracked down on the businesses. Many have moved.

Still, he said, “We haven’t gotten rid of them all.”

Zepeda added that he hopes the new law will help police close down the illegitimate massage parlors that are quickly established in commercial districts throughout the city without any licensing or regulations.

David Reed, president of the California chapter of the American Massage Therapy Assn., said he supports the ordinance but opposes having vice officers enforcing the guidelines.

“Vice squad is for regulating prostitution and they should not be regulating massage businesses,” he said. “We should be regulated like any other medical business.”