Midland enacts new regulations on massage parlors to combat crime - Midland Reporter-Telegram

[Luke Dias]

City Council on Tuesday approved an ordinance placing regulations on massage parlors and establishments in an effort to curtail criminal activity occurring in them. The city is taking action based on guidelines from and collaboration with the state of Texas.


According to the city and state, offending massage parlors use resources such as the internet's dark web to engage in numerous crimes, ranging from money laundering to prostitution and human trafficking.


“This is an identified problem around the state of Texas, not necessarily unique to Midland, but Midland has had a proliferation of these illicit massage parlors in the last few years,” said Mayor Lori Blong. “There’s over 30 of them that have been identified here in Midland.”


The new regulations, amended into city code, adds a new “Massage Establishment” section to the business regulations chapter. Under these regulations, places offering massages will need an official license from the city and city manager and register what specific massage services they offer. Additionally, massage facilities are required to allow inspections performed on their businesses during work hours.


Massage facilities that violate the terms will have their massage licenses revoked, though they are allowed to appeal this decision. If a massage facility is found to have at least three instances of illegal activity, they are required to post an entrance notification on their door indicating as such.


“We have been working with the Attorney General’s Office of the state of Texas, as well as several other nonprofits, to identify these illicit massage parlors,” Blong said. “And then they’re working through various different agencies, not just our Midland Police Department, but also our Sheriff’s Department, FBI agents and other local law enforcement and state and federal offices as well.”


Some of these regulations have been considered controversial, as they run the risk of suppressing and infringing on the rights of legal businesses and those run by ethnic minority groups or LGBTQ people. Blong denies that this will be a possible outcome, saying, “The parameters of this ordinance, and all of our efforts, are specific to illicit services that are being offered in facilities in Midland. There is no extension of this to any other population in our community.”


Blong also stated that the ordinance was designed to try and safeguard legal businesses and that there aren't any current plans to regulate any other industries. In line with this, the ordinance is designed to be more preventative rather than using law enforcement.


“We can’t arrest this problem away,” said Joe Madison, founder and executive director of nonprofit Demand Disruption. “If we can’t stop it proactively, then we’re going to be a barrier to it happening, and we do that with our law enforcement partners, with our friends in the community, and with our other partners in nonprofit work.”


The ordinance was approved unanimously by Midland City Council on Tuesday.