HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. -- In January, the city of Tampa passed a revamped version of the bathhouse ordinance, which closed loopholes that allowed Illicit massage parlors to operate. Now, Hillsborough County is doing the same.
Wednesday morning, county commissioners approved a similar ordinance.
The ordinance creates a permitting process to regulate massage and bathhouse establishments, similar to the ordinance implemented by the city of Tampa.
In an effort to combat human trafficking, the ordinance also requires an educational process for employees of these establishments. It is expected that the costs associated with administering this ordinance will be offset by the application fees that will be charged.
Below are some of the changes made in Tampa. The county will be making similar changes.
• They must have a daily log of clients
• Clients will not be allowed to enter through a rear door
• Managers and employers must have a permit to operate, and it will now be harder to get said permit
• They must go through a waiting period to get a permit
• Managers and employers will be required to take a human trafficking course
• They will be inspected regularly by the city. Currently, they are not.
• A bathhouse operator or manager is to be assigned to ensure lawful operation
• Set limits on the hours of operation of a bathhouse
• Requires property owners to disclose information and be responsible for certain violations
• Allows enforcement to be shared between the Planning and Development Department and Tampa
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