Senate Committee of Reference Report
Committee on Local Government & Housing
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All text that will be removed from the bill will be indicated by strikethrough as follows:
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This is text that is removed from law. -
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March 25, 2026
After consideration on the merits, the Committee recommends the following:
HB26-1257 be amended as follows, and as so amended, be referred to the Committee of the Whole with favorable recommendation and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar:
Page 1, Line 1Amend reengrossed bill, page 2, strike line 3 and substitute "(1)(a)(I),
Page 1, Line 2(1)(a)(II), (1)(a)(III), (1)(a)(IV) introductory portion, (1)(a)(IV)(A),
Page 1, Line 3(1)(b)(I), (2)(d),".
Page 1, Line 4Page 2, line 4, after "(3)(a)," insert "(3.5)(c),".
Page 1, Line 5Page 2, line 6, after the second "portion," insert "(4.5)(a)(I),".
Page 1, Line 6Page 3, strike line 2 and substitute "(7)(h)(III); and add (1)(a)(I.5),
Page 1, Line 7(1)(a)(II.5), (1)(a)(III.5), (1)(a)(IX), (1)(a)(X), (3)(d), (4)(a)(XIII), and
Page 1, Line 8(7)(i) as follows:".
Page 1, Line 9Page 3, after line 6 insert:
Page 1, Line 10"(I) Illicit massage businesses present a facade of legitimate
Page 1, Line 11services, concealing that the primary business is the sex and labor
Page 1, Line 12trafficking of victims who are trapped in these businesses. The
Page 1, Line 13reputation and success of legitimate massage therapy businesses
Page 1, Line 14is denigrated and undermined by individuals who conceal
Page 1, Line 15unlawful activities, such as human trafficking, by falsely posing
Page 1, Line 16as massage therapy businesses.
Page 1, Line 17(I.5) The operation of illicit massage therapy businesses is
Page 1, Line 18dangerous to the public and can result in unlawful sexual
Page 1, Line 19activities, human trafficking, illegal building improvements,
Page 1, Line 20zoning violations, and nuisance activities;
Page 1, Line 21(II) Human trafficking is a growing problem throughout Colorado.
Page 1, Line 22From 1977 until 2015, the Colorado massage parlor code
Page 1, Line 23authorized local governments to regulate massage parlors
Page 2, Line 1through licensure programs. In 2014, a sunset review
Page 2, Line 2recommended sunsetting the massage parlor code based on a
Page 2, Line 3view that the code was not "a significant factor in the fight
Page 2, Line 4against prostitution" and was not necessa.ry to protect the
Page 2, Line 5public health, safety, and welfare. The Colorado massage
Page 2, Line 6parlor code was repealed in 2015 by Senate Bill 15-122,
Page 2, Line 7dismantling dozens of local licensing systems that local
Page 2, Line 8governments had enacted to address human trafficking.
Page 2, Line 9(II.5) The "Massage Therapy Practice Act", article 235 of
Page 2, Line 10title 12, was enacted in 2008 to regulate the profession of
Page 2, Line 11massage therapy and to provide for consistent statewide
Page 2, Line 12certification and oversight of massage therapists. The "Massage
Page 2, Line 13Therapy Practice Act" permits local governments to inspect
Page 2, Line 14massage therapy licenses and business premises where massage
Page 2, Line 15therapy is conducted to ensure compliance with applicable
Page 2, Line 16laws.".
Page 2, Line 17Page 3, strike line 11 and substitute "reasonably likely to occur; and
Page 2, Line 18(III.5) In 2018, through its authority as a home rule
Page 2, Line 19municipality, the city of Aurora enacted an ordinance to
Page 2, Line 20regulate massage facilities to combat human trafficking by
Page 2, Line 21focusing directly on the perpetrators of trafficking and the
Page 2, Line 22deterrence of unlawful behavior as an alternative to
Page 2, Line 23traditional law enforcement approaches. Other municipalities
Page 2, Line 24followed suit and the general assembly subsequently enacted
Page 2, Line 25House Bill 22-1300 in 2022 to authorize counties to enact similar
Page 2, Line 26regulations.".
Page 2, Line 27Page 3, after line 24 insert:
Page 2, Line 28"(IX) Local regulation of massage facilities has been
Page 2, Line 29effective in reducing the number of illicit massage businesses,
Page 2, Line 30deterring the location of new illicit massage businesses, and
Page 2, Line 31focusing on the behavior of perpetrators of human trafficking;
Page 2, Line 32and
Page 2, Line 33(X) The local regulation of massage facilities,
Page 2, Line 34implemented consistently with the "Massage Therapy Practice
Page 2, Line 35Act", recognizes that massage therapy is a legitimate
Page 2, Line 36health-care profession that provides benefits to the residents
Page 2, Line 37of Colorado.".
Page 2, Line 38Page 5, after line 3 insert:
Page 2, Line 39
Page 3, Line 1"(3.5) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3)(c) of this
Page 3, Line 2section, a local government shall establish a process in accordance with
Page 3, Line 334 U.S.C. sec. 41101, which must be established by ordinance or
Page 3, Line 4resolution, in accordance with 34 U.S.C. sec. 41101; must meet the
Page 3, Line 5criteria established by the federal bureau of investigation in implementing
Page 3, Line 634 U.S.C. sec. 41101; and must be performed in accordance with section
Page 3, Line 724-33.5-424.5, to require that, as a condition for a person remaining as or
Page 3, Line 8becoming an operator, owner, or employee:
Page 3, Line 9(c) A prospective operator or owner submit to a background check
Page 3, Line 10performed in accordance with section 24-33.5-424.5 at least thirty days
Page 3, Line 11before, as applicable, being granted a license to operate a massage facility
Page 3, Line 12or assuming an ownership interest in a massage facility that would make
Page 3, Line 13the prospective owner an owner.".
Page 3, Line 14Page 7, after line 11 insert:
Page 3, Line 15"(I) Has not submitted to a required background check at least
Page 3, Line 16thirty days before assuming an ownership interest in a massage facility
Page 3, Line 17that would make the prospective owner an owner pursuant to subsections
Page 3, Line 18(4)(c) and (4)(c.5) of this section; or".