City of Green Bay
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Protection and Policy committee of the Green Bay city council passed an ordinance relating to massage establishments within the city.
The ordinance looks to target bad players when it comes to illicit massage practices.
According to one council member, it aims to regulate the businesses themselves, not the licensed massage therapists.
The wording of the ordinance makes reference to quote “intimate parts” of the body–including the breast and groin area.
Some local therapists spoke on the regulations they face already, and the wording of the ordinance.
“I do have a lot of concerns in regards to this ordinance you are trying to create,” says Jaime Ehmer, a licensed massage therapist. “As per the state statute, it clearly states that you can not create an ordinance onto the massage therapist if they are licensed. We are just asking that you exempt licensed massage therapists from this.”
Ehmer went on to say, ” I feel disrespected in the sense that I feel like you are lumping licensed massage therapists, who are part of the health care system, we are able to take the A.S.A account, we are able to bill insurance, and you’re lumping us with sex workers.”
A woman who identified herself as a member of the Military Avenue Business District responded to some of the concerns.
She states, “I’m probably one of the people that helped push this forward. It is to try and get rid of the bad actors. In reference to intimate parts, that is a definition in the ordinance. It does not require or say anything about–other than you as a massage therapist can not expose those areas to your clients.”
The measure will be taken up by the city council.
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