Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Henderson places stricter regulations on massage parlors

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The Henderson City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to adopt an ordinance that will create stricter rules for massage parlors.

The ordinance aimed at preventing massage parlors and reflexology establishments — which provide pressure-point massages on the hands and feet — from serving as fronts for prostitution.

It bans the use of tinted glass on exterior windows and states that employees must wear clothing that “fully cover from a point, not to exceed four inches about the center of the kneecap to the base of the neck.”

The ordinance stipulates that clothing worn by employees cannot be transparent and must cover the genitals, buttocks and breasts. It restricts hours of operation for massage parlors from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Councilwoman Gerri Schroder said there are many massage parlors in Henderson that conduct business legally. Schroeder said she hopes the ordinance bolsters their image as legitimate businesses.

“It will take the concerns away from the other tenants in the building and from families in the area,” she said.

Councilwoman Debra March said she voted in favor of the ordinance because Henderson is a family friendly community. Residents shouldn’t have to worry about illegal activity going on near their neighborhoods, she said.

Debra March

Debra March

The ordinance makes Henderson’s massage parlors more highly regulated than those in the rest of the Las Vegas valley.

“I think it’s part of the progress of our city,” March said, adding that Henderson holds influence as the second-largest city in Nevada.

“It’s important to make sure that we have the highest standard for behavior,” she said.

In passing the ordinance, Henderson will license about 50 massage parlors, according to a city representative.

March, Schroeder, and Councilman Steve Kirk voted in favor of the ordinance. Mayor Andy Hafen and Council member Kathleen Boutin were not present at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

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