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 require the following for restricted locations going forward: - a city business license valid for a two‑year term, with renewal required; - periodic inspections by code, fire or health officials to ensure compliance (separate from any criminal warrants); - a requirement that the license be posted at the business and signage warning that the location is a restricted massage establishment; - limits on hours of operation for licensed restricted facilities (staff noted an 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. standard in the text); and - penalties for violations and a process to revoke the local license and close a non‑compliant business.

State law and interagency cooperation: Council and staff emphasized coordination with Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) and other state and federal partners. Staff cited House Bill 3579 (80th Legislature, effective Sept. 1, 2023) and said TDLR can issue emergency orders to halt operations when human‑trafficking indicators are present; staff said 21 TDLR emergency orders have been issued statewide so far (none in Midland). The mayor and police staff said the city has worked with the attorney general’s office, Homeland Security Investigations, TDLR and nonprofit victim‑assistance organizations to develop a multi‑agency approach.

Local context: Staff and police described about 50 licensed massage establishments in the TDLR database for Midland, and told council that about 37 locations had been identified by police and partner groups as problematic based on complaints, online reviews and investigations. Staff said the ordinance will apply going forward to locations with qualifying arrests or convictions; it will not be applied retroactively to require immediate licensing of every existing business that has prior complaints.

Enforcement and public information: The ordinance authorizes inspection activity to provide additional oversight and a revocation process for the local license; staff and legal said municipal court remains the avenue for unpaid fines or citations and that police retain investigative and arrest authorities. Council members asked staff to consider posting restricted‑establishment lists or otherwise making public information available; legal staff said records about licensed restricted establishments are public records and could be provided under open‑records requests; staff committed to work on a public information approach consistent with legal and privacy constraints.

Ending: Council members and staff framed the ordinance as a tool to disrupt illicit activity, expand regulatory oversight where appropriate and coordinate local action with state and federal partners to address human‑trafficking and organized crime indicators.