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REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION Date: 4/21/2025 Item No.: 7.c. Department Approval City Manager Approval Item Description: Discuss Massage Therapy Establishment Cap and Therapist Criteria 1 2 Background 3 The City Council last discussed the regulation of massage therapists and massage therapy 4 establishments in April 2023. At that time, the cap on the number of establishments, previously set at 24, 5 was removed. The current number of licenses for massage establishments is 29 and breaks down as 6 follows: 7 13 Establishments with employees 8 16 Sole proprietor establishments 9 10 Additionally, there are 2 chiropractic clinics operating massage services that are exempt from licensing 11 under current city code. There are currently 91 licensed massage therapists in the city, not including 12 those who operate as licensed sole proprietors. Attached is a list of establishments licensed in Roseville 13 as well as information regarding the number of establishment licenses for other cities and their criteria 14 for licensing therapists. 15 16 Staff is seeking Council direction on two issues. 17 Whether to revisit the idea of capping the number of massage therapy establishment licenses. 18 Whether to amend the ordinance related to accredited, licensed and registered schools. 19 20 This conversation is being prompted by the following concerns: 21 22 1. Human Trafficking Risks in the Industry 23 Human trafficking is a recognized issue in the massage therapy field. According to the Minnesota 24 Department of Health and the Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force, massage establishments are 25 among the types of businesses that have been used to conceal trafficking operations. A 2020 Polaris 26 Project report noted that illicit massage businesses as one of the top venues for sex trafficking in the 27 United States, and Minnesota has not been immune to these concerns. The amount of resources, 28 including staff time, that is spent researching and investigating schools, backgrounds, and connecting 29 with various agencies in other jurisdictions continues to increase with each establishment that applies. 30 The ability and capacity to adequately maintain due diligence to ensure no improper, illicit or illegal 31 actions have occurred prior to issuing a license is becoming more and more complex as trafficking 32 operations become more sophisticated. There is a level of risk to the city with each application for 33 establishment and therapist. Additionally, once licenses have been granted, the burden is placed on 34 ensuring compliance, and crimes are often hidden and difficult to prove. This reinforces the need to 35 consider whether additional policy tools - such as limiting the number of establishments - could help 36 mitigate risk and allow for more focused oversight. 37 Page 1 of 3 Qbhf!74!pg!216