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134 regulations are not in place. The proposed changes to Chapter 309 will provide for stricter 135 requirements for both massage therapy establishments and massage therapists that will limit the 136 opportunity for criminal activities to occur. In the addition, the changes to Chapter 309 will limit the 137 proliferation of massage therapy establishment and allow for better oversight of the establishments by 138 licensing staff and the Police Department that will ensure that massage therapy establishments are law- 139 abiding and safe. 140 141 B UDGET I MPLICATIONS 142 There is no immediate financial impact on the changes to Chapter 309. Eventually, with the limit on 143 the Massage Therapy Establishment Licenses, the city will collect less in license fees. 144 R ACIAL E QUITY I MPACT S UMMARY 1 145 According to the findings in ‘Human Trafficking Task Force Report’, “Human trafficking is prevalent 146 within the massage profession. Research shows that as many as 6,500 illicit (massage) businesses are 147 active in the United States.” The report further states that human trafficking is linked with fraud in 148 massage therapist education and in the licensing pathways. Human trafficking in the massage 149 profession is part of a much larger international problem that creates slavery, bondage, intimidation, 150 violence and trauma. The Trafficking Victim Protection Act of 2004 found that traffickers primarily 151 target women and girls, who are disproportionately affected by poverty, have limited access to 152 education, suffer chronic unemployment, discrimination, and lack economic opportunities in their 153 countries of origin. Traffickers lure women and girls into their networks through false promises of 154 decent working conditions. 155 S TAFF R ECOMMENDATION 156 Staff recommends that the City Council review the proposed amendments to Chapter 309 and provide 157 feedback. If the City Council finds the amendments acceptable, staff recommends that the ordinance 158 amendment and summary be passed. The ordinance amendment has been posted to the City website for 159 the required 10 days. 160 R EQUESTED C OUNCIL A CTION 161 The City Council should review the proposed amendments to Chapter 309 and provide feedback. If the 162 City Council finds the amendments acceptable, a motion to approve an ordinance amending City Code 163 Chapter 309: Massage Therapy as shown in Attachment D and the Ordinance Summary shown in 164 Attachment E would be appropriate. 165 Prepared by: Patrick Trudgeon, City Manager Attachments: A: Ordinance #1607 B: Ordinance #1615 C: Draft Ordinance (redlined) D: Draft Ordinance (clean copy) E: Ordinance Summary F: Excerpt of Minutes from November 8, 2021 meeting G: Excerpt of Minutes from July 25, 2022 meeting H: Presentation 1 Human Trafficking Task Force Report. Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards. https://www.fsmtb.org/media/1606/httf-report-final-web.pdf 2017. Page 4 of 4