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AB 1147 Assembly Bill-Bill Analysis Page 18 of 35 had serious unintended consequences, with bad actors masquerading as legitimate massage professionals who exploited loopholes in current law to insulate themselves against the ability of local governments and law enforcement to shut them down. This bill will give that power back to the cities and counties, which will go a long way towards eliminating the brothel owners and human traffickers who are hurting women, hurting neighborhoods, hurting the profession, and hurting California." As stated by Assembly Member Gomez "It's time we take back control AB 1147 Page 24 of our neighborhoods with this reform measure. Legitimate massage therapists have a role in our communities. But the current law has allowed criminal elements to hide behind the law and disrupt our communities. The most critical piece of the reform measure is that the bill will return land use authority to cities and counties. The broad pre-emption of local land use authority for 'certified-only' massage professionals has been removed, returning local land use control back to the cities and counties. Now our communities will once again have a voice in the process." As stated by Assemb7v Member Holden "This bill frees cities and law enforcement to do what they do best: guard the best interests of its citizens and resident businesses and protect their community from criminals. This bill allows good massage therapists to be recognized and bad actors to be put out of business. AB 1147 removes the most detrimental parts of the law and ensures that control over planning of our communities is handed back to the people, not business owners with bad intentions." The changes to the Massage Therapy Act and it statutes and the rationale for the major changes to the Act are as follows: a) Return of local control by cities and counties of massage establishments and businesses. This bill returns the authority of land use and zoning controls to the cities by removing the preemption clause which allowed massage establishments to open and operate as long as they were utilizing all certified individuals. This bill will permit cities to regulate establishments and massage businesses as each jurisdiction deems appropriate. With the return of land use and zoning controls, cities will be able to continue or re-establish local ordinances dealing with health and safety requirements; requires massage establishments to abide by hours of operation; establish appropriate business license fees; and determine the appropriate inspection fees. b) Practice protection for Massage Therapists. This bill amends current law to include protection for those certified individuals who have met the specified requirements of certification to be able to practice in each jurisdiction without being required to obtain any additional education, take or pass an additional examination, or take any medical tests as a condition to practice in that jurisdiction. This bill seeks to maintain uniform certification standards for practitioners and therapists. c) Reconstitute the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) . AB 1147 Page 25 httpl/www.leginfoxagov/pub/13-14/bilWasmilab_1101-1150/ab_l 147_c fa_20140620_1 111 15_sen_comm.htm I 7/3/2014