Douglas County adopts massage licensing ordinance to enable FBI background checks and deter illicit businesses

The Douglas County Board of Commissioners on March 10 adopted amendments to the county’s massage‑business licensure ordinance to bring local rules into alignment with state law and enable FBI‑level background checks.

County attorney staff said the revisions are administrative and targeted: they clarify definitions, streamline the application process and meet statutory requirements (Colorado Revised Statute 30‑15‑401.4) so the county can obtain federal background checks that reveal out‑of‑state criminal histories. Jeff Garcia, presenting the matter, said the change was necessary because some perpetrators move across state lines and would not show up on state criminal checks alone.

Andrea Bradbury, a longtime local victim‑services advocate, urged the board to adopt the changes, calling the step “a huge” and necessary move to reduce human trafficking. "We are not going to tolerate this kind of behavior in Douglas County," she said.

The board said the ordinance is the product of multi‑year work that included county attorneys, law enforcement and advocacy groups. Commissioners noted Douglas County had helped shape the enabling state legislation and that adopting a compliant local ordinance will make FBI checks available through intergovernmental arrangements already in discussion with nearby jurisdictions.

No changes were made following first reading; the ordinance will take effect as required by state statute in July 2026. County staff said they will finalize intergovernmental agreements and administrative procedures to implement the FBI background checks and licensure process.

The board adopted the ordinance on second and final reading by voice vote.