Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
San Francisco committee advances ordinances to tighten rules for massage businesses, citing human‑trafficking concerns
Summary
The Land Use & Transportation Committee voted unanimously to send Supervisor Katie Tang’s paired health‑code and planning‑code ordinances to the full Board, removing the CMTC exemption, requiring DPH establishment permits, creating a time‑limited legitimization (amnesty) program, and reinstating conditional‑use controls for many new massage businesses.
The Land Use & Transportation Committee on May 5 voted to send paired ordinances from Supervisor Katie Tang to the full Board of Supervisors that would remove the California Massage Therapy Council (CMTC) exemption and require Department of Public Health (DPH) establishment permits for all massage businesses in San Francisco. The committee also approved a time‑limited legitimization (amnesty) program allowing existing unpermitted operations to apply for DPH permits while continuing to operate during review.
Supervisor Katie Tang framed the bills as a restoration of local authority eroded by state law and a tool to address illicit operations. “So now, if you are, employing all CAMTC therapists, we’re gonna require that you do obtain a DPH business permit,” Tang said, explaining the ordinances’ major change to local permitting practice.
The measures respond to data and enforcement concerns presented by DPH staff. Cindy Comerford of the Department of Public Health told the…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
