GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — Green Bay's Common Council approved an ordinance Tuesday night requiring all city massage establishments to obtain licenses.
The next step is for the council to take a vote to adopt the ordinance, which is expected to happen in the near future.
This comes after an NBC 26 investigation in May where police records showed several violations at some spas.
In particular, the spas cited in the police records were the Gonh, Sunrise, and Dream spas along Military Avenue.
The records explain that in January of 2023, a male customer reported to police that a female masseuse grabbed him in a sexual manner during a massage at the Sunrise Spa.
"I don't know the solution other than trying to crack down on some of these unreputable places that are truly victimizing or, perhaps, running prostitution," Common Council President Jesse Brunette said.
The city is working on a new law requiring all massage establishments to have licenses.
Wisconsin State Statute already requires massage therapists to have licenses.
"It doesn't impose any additional restrictions or duplicative regulations on the therapists themselves in their professional or individual capacity," City Attorney Joanne Bungert said. "It is imposing certain boundaries and regulations on the business that employs them."
During Tuesday's meeting, Bungert said a goal of the city's ordinance is to get rid of illicit spas.
"The purpose of the legislation is to ensure that the establishments are operating at a safe manner, are safe for patrons, are safe for surrounding neighborhoods," Bungert said.
However, some licensed massage therapists pushed back on the proposal and spoke out to Common Council members.
"This ordinance isn't a parity," massage therapist Stephanie Ksionda said. "There's no other healthcare profession that has this same establishment license arbitrarily applied to them."
"We are more than willing to get a business license and to comply with the rules for a business license," massage school owner Jeffrey Montoya said. "We just don't want to be targeted in a way unique because of massage."
In the current ordinance, massage therapy would be allowed in residentially-owned businesses, and hours of operation would be from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
But, parlors would be required to have a waiting area.
The ordinance also defines "intimate parts" of the body. It explains that a massage parlor could have its license revoked by the Common Council if one or more therapists expose their intimate parts to other people.
"It's very discriminatory because it groups our profession with prostitution," Ksionda said.
"What it is, is people are taking your reputation, and ruining it by having illegitimate practices within communities," District 4 Alderman Bill Galvin said.
"We're just trying to protect," District 6 Alderman Steven Campbell said. "And, by having you have a license, you're getting on board and saying, 'we're a good one.'"
By an 8-3 vote, the Common Council voted to approve the ordinance. The council is expected to adopt the ordinance in the coming weeks. Between now and then, the council can make amendments to it.
The spa ordinance is scheduled to take effect on Feb. 1 of next year.
Manitowoc has a city code where any massage therapist who violates its ordinance can face up to a $1,000 fine.
