Sacramento County Board of Supervisors to reconsider fee hikes for certified massage therapists
One speaker said the increased fees were an attempt to crack down on sex workers posing as massage parlors at the expense of CMTs.
During their regular meeting yesterday, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors decided to reconsider license fee hikes that would have been imposed on massage businesses. The request came after the supervisors heard several comments during and outside the meeting that the fee hikes hurt certified massage therapists.
During public comment, B.J. Pitts, who identified herself as a certified massage therapist, told the supervisor that the licensing fee hike unfairly targeted legitimate therapists and was onerous.
"The legitimate therapists aren't the ones causing trouble, and we would like very much to have a word as stakeholders on this before it came this far," she said. "We would like to have this pulled [from the consent calendar]."
Citing existing law on the Certified Massage Therapist Act of 2023, Pitts told the supervisors that the law permits local governments to only imposed reasonable fees and regulations. The fee proposal can be seen below.
"I find this renewal to be quite substantial," she added.
Another speaker, who identified himself as Tony, said the increased fees were an attempt to crack down on sex workers posing as massage parlors at the expense of CMTs.
"Massage regulation is primarily an attempt to regulate commercial sex, rather than massage therapy businesses," he said. "parlor is a useful term for blurring the distinction between a massage establishment, a place that for professional massage therapist engaged in the practice of massage, and a brothel, a place where money is exchanged for sex."
Tony went on to say it was unfair that the county was raising fees on legitimate businesses so those funds could be used to target those businesses pretending to offer massage services.
In his comments, Supervisor Rich Desmond noted that many massage parlors are involved in prostitution and human trafficking. He also noted many of these establishments are in Supervisorial District 3, which he represents.
"I am committed to doing more for my district in particular because of the disproportionate impact on my constituents," Desmond said.
Desmond also said he was willing to explore options to address the law enforcement concerns about businesses posing as massage parlors dealing in sex trafficking while not penalizing legitimate CMT operations.
After hearing the comments, board chair Supervisor Patrick Kennedy asked to have the matter pulled from consideration and heard during the supervisor's September 10 meeting.
