Recommendation to request City Manager to communicate the City's support for Assembly Bill 1147 (Bonilla, Gomez, Holden), which would return local and land use authority to cities and counties as applicable to massage businesses and which promotes public safety by giving tools to local governments to address such establishments that are involved in human trafficking.
Cllr greg item made his report from the office of council member. I lost in council member patrick o'donnell where the recommendation to request the city manager to communicate the city's support for Assembly Bill 1147, which would return local and land use authority to cities and counties applicable to massage businesses. Mr. AUSTIN. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I'll first of all, I'd like to thank Councilmember O'Donnell for joining me with this item. I'm asking my colleagues to join in supporting AB 1147, the Massage Therapy Act of 2014 in 2008 and unintended consequence of a newly adopted state law removed many of the local controls the city has. Cities have to regulate massage businesses. Since that time, there's been a significant increase in the number of massage businesses in cities throughout the state. I'd like to emphasize that most massage businesses are good, upstanding and reputable businesses. However, a small number of massage businesses have been known to engage in illegal and illicit activities. Our police department does an outstanding job of investigating complaints about these businesses and making arrests when appropriate. However, this bill will give our city more tools to regulate and enforce our local laws to protect the public safety, health and safety. This bill would also prohibit the use of sexually suggestive advertising of massage services, and the League of California Cities actually supports this legislation. I understand that our city staff has a few concerns with one section in this bill. So as part of my motion, I would like to request the city manager to communicate with the city's the city support of HB 1147, while continuing to work with the bill's authors and other stakeholders to further improve the bill for the city's interest. Their second. Thank you. So, yeah, this is a this is a I think. This is using their. Yeah. Pretty common sense. This promotes responsible business and local government authority. Thank you, Mr. Ross. Mr. O'Dell. Thank you. Actually. And Mr. Austin said it. Well, the goal this bill is to retain in our hands the ability to plan what to to plan our our local our local land use. What happened with this previous bill that took away our decision making power so that we couldn't require that these establishments wouldn't be allowed in our city? So this is a good bill. This is a smart bill. This is about public safety. This is about retaining local control. So I'm very supportive with that. I'll turn it back to you. Thank you. We have a motion in the second. Is there any member of the public that wishes to address the council on this bill? Please identify yourself. Very, very good. Do. Kirk has the address. I'm wondering whether or not there's any way this can be amended to deal with those elements that are attempting to various means of massaging various members of the elected in this city or city staff. Do you want this? This is ridiculous. It's not relevant. Please. I mean, I know you like to be witty, but this. Is there's a serious issue there. I really appreciate you made your point. Thank you. Jesus Christ. All right. We have a motion in the second members. Cast your votes. Would think motion carry six votes. Yes. Thank you.