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Yakima council adopts ordinance regulating massage and reflexology businesses
Summary
The Yakima City Council passed a new ordinance adding chapter 5.31 to Title 5 to tighten licenses, hours and inspection authority for massage and reflexology businesses after police described undercover operations at multiple establishments.
The Yakima City Council on Tuesday voted 7-0 to adopt an ordinance adding chapter 5.31 to Title 5 that establishes new licensing, inspection and conduct rules for massage and reflexology businesses.
The ordinance, introduced by Detective Priestman of the Yakima Police Department, gives the city clearer authority to inspect common areas of massage businesses during business hours, requires posted licenses and government photo identification for therapists, prohibits operation between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., and makes unlicensed practice a misdemeanor. The measure also authorizes denial or revocation of a business license for criminal history involving human trafficking, prostitution or unlicensed practice of massage therapy.
“Adopting this ordinance will assist law enforcement by providing more opportunity for oversight,” Detective Priestman said, describing a recent undercover operation. “Over the course of the last several months the Yakima Police Department Special Assault Unit identified multiple massage businesses in the city that we believe were providing special services for money. Last month, an undercover operation was conducted at nine of those identified businesses, which resulted in eight arrests.”
The ordinance requires that each massage therapist be at least 18 years old and licensed by the state Department of Health; businesses must display the massage business license and copies of each therapist’s license at or near the entrance for public inspection. The measure also makes it unlawful for a person to practice massage therapy or reflexology without a state license and prohibits touching clients’ intimate areas as defined in the ordinance.
Assistant City Attorney Brooke Hargrave and Detective Priestman were available to answer council questions during Tuesday’s meeting. Several council members voiced support: Councilmember Decio said the ordinance helps “legitimize” the industry and shields legitimate practitioners from the harm caused by illicit operators.
The ordinance passed on a roll-call vote recorded as yes from all seven council members present. The council’s action is local ordinance law and will take effect per the city’s ordinance-adoption rules.
Council members and staff characterized the change as a tool to help investigations and reduce the resources required for undercover enforcement by tightening licensing requirements and providing inspection authority.
The council did not direct any additional study or amend the ordinance at the meeting; enforcement and next steps were left to the Yakima Police Department and city licensing staff.
