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Committee advances bill limiting late-night massage hours after trafficking concerns; amendment narrows curfew to 1 a.m.
Summary
The Regulated Industries and Utilities committee passed a substitute for House Bill 892, which restricts hours for massage-only establishments to curb venues the sponsor says are linked to human trafficking; an amendment narrowed the prohibited hours to 1 a.m.–6 a.m. and the substitute passed 5–3.
Representative John Holcomb urged the committee to approve House Bill 892 to curb what he described as 24-hour massage venues that "are places of human trafficking," saying a time limit would reduce the economics that enable the activity. He told members the proposal initially set hours at 6 a.m.–10 p.m. but that he would accept a later closing time if the committee preferred.
Holcomb, the bill’s sponsor, said law-enforcement stings and public information indicate some massage-only businesses operate overnight to facilitate illicit activity. "There are similar establishments around the state," he said,…
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