Conn. committee passes massage parlor bill

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A bill that would crack down on illegal massage parlors in Connecticut has passed its second round of committee votes in the state legislature.

Members of the General Assembly's Judiciary Committee voted 40-to-0 in favor of the proposed measure Tuesday.

The legislation adds shiatsu, acupressure and Thai massage, among others, to the list of services that cannot be advertised without a license to perform massage therapy. It also makes it a misdemeanor for someone to knowingly employ an unlicensed person to perform massage.

The bill requires the state Department of Public Health to investigate accusations of illegal massage parlors within 30 days of receiving the complaint.

The state's Planning and Development Committee voted in favor of the legislation last month.