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Permit Denials: <br />While the current ordinance mandates that the Police Chief deny an application if any of <br />the enumerated circumstances exists, the proposed ordinance provides the Police Chief <br />discretion in making a decision when the applicant has had a massage permit <br />suspended. (6.24.110(C)(1).) A Police Chief, for example, may wish to grant a permit <br />when an applicant's permit from another jurisdiction was suspended for reasons other <br />than for significant health or criminal concerns. <br />The proposed ordinance also provides the Police Chief discretion in making a decision <br />when the applicant has operated a massage establishment or a massage therapist in a <br />manner which would be grounds for denial, suspension, or revocation of a permit under <br />this Chapter. (6.24.110(C)(2).) For example, the proposed ordinance provides the <br />Police Chief discretion to deny (or issue) a permit in a circumstance when an applicant <br />who operated a massage establishment in a jurisdiction that did not issue massage <br />permits had engaged in conduct that would be prohibited under Pleasanton's ordinance. <br />Prohibited Conduct: <br />Alcohol: Although massage establishments traditionally do not serve alcohol, it has <br />become popular for some spas to provide various amenities, including wine, to their <br />clients. The ordinance proposed provides that if a massage establishment serves <br />alcohol, it must have a license from the State of California Department of Alcoholic <br />Beverage Control and no alcoholic beverages may be sold, served, kept or consumed <br />in any room where massage is provided. (6.24.190(8).) <br />Unlawful Touching: The proposed ordinance expands the types of instances that are <br />considered prohibited conduct. For example, in addition to prohibiting permittees and <br />massage establishment employees from exposing themselves or touching a client's <br />sexual or genital parts, the proposed ordinance also prohibits permittees from allowing <br />clients to touch, expose or view the sexual or genital part of any person before, during, <br />or after a massage. (6.24.190(C)(3).) The proposed ordinance also clarifies that the <br />term "touching" includes contact skin-to-skin or through a drape, cloth or other material. <br />(6.24.190(C).) <br />Breast Massage: The current ordinance prohibits the massage of a woman's breasts. <br />The proposed ordinance deletes this prohibition in recognition that breast massage has <br />health and therapeutic benefits, for example by providing relief to women who suffer <br />from various conditions, such as mastitis. (6.24.190(C).) <br />While not part of the ordinance proposed, massage technicians and establishments <br />may independently require clients to sign waivers when clients are minors or when they <br />request certain types of massage, such as breast massages. <br />Page 6 of 8 <br />