Council enacts licensing, inspection rules for massage businesses with criminal histories to target illicit parlors

The Midland City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance on March 18 that adds a licensing and inspection regime for a subset of massage establishments with documented criminal histories.

Scope and purpose: Staff and the city attorney said the ordinance does not regulate all licensed massage businesses. Instead it creates a targeted requirement for massage establishments at locations that have a history of criminal activity or regulatory violations — for example, a location with three or more arrests or citations for prostitution, human‑trafficking‑related offenses, or other offenses listed in the occupations and penal codes the ordinance references. The stated aim is to augment law‑enforcement efforts and disrupt illegal activity while allowing lawful massage therapists and businesses to operate without additional burden.

Key provisions: Under the ordinance adopted March 18 the city will…