LAW TO DETER PROSTITUTION IN MASSAGE PARLORS.

Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer

Seeking to crack down on prostitutes who pose as massage therapists, the Los Angeles City Council adopted an ordinance Tuesday that sets more stringent standards to become licensed as a legitimate masseuse or masseur.

The new law - which still must be signed by the mayor - ultimately will require 500 hours of formal training for a license and promises to send many legitimate massage therapists back to school.

``There is a fear the city of Los Angeles not having this ordinance may once again become the home of very many not-legitimate massage businesses that are fronts for prostitution,'' Assistant City Attorney Byron Boeckman told the council.

Los Angeles Police Department officials shut down about 10 massage businesses a year for prostitution, and police officials said they are concerned about rapid growth in the number of massage parlors in the city.

The number of people licensed as massage therapists has risen from 933 in 1988 to 1,719 today.

Police welcomed the more stringent standards, which are aimed at making it more difficult for prostitutes to identify themselves as legitimate massage therapists.

Under the current system, any person can get a massage therapist's license from the city if he or she pays a $261 fee and takes a basic test given by the county Health Department that requires rudimentary knowledge of anatomy and massage practice, said Detective Richard Rudell.

``Anyone with a minimum amount of tutoring can pass this test,'' Rudell said.

Under the new ordinance that would take effect 30 days after being signed by the mayor, massage therapists would be required to have 200 hours of training before a permit is issued this year and next year. Beginning in 1998, they will have to have 500 hours.

The ordinance also requires massage therapists to provide the city with more background information when applying for permits and requires business owners to disclose whether they have ever been convicted of a crime.

Plus, it requires therapists to be fully clothed in a manner similar to professional nurses when they perform their work. Also, the ordinance increases the amount of lighting required in massage rooms to a minimum of 24 watts.

``As we know, there are some very reputable people involved in this trade, but there are also some that are not so reputable,'' said Councilman Hal Bernson. ``This gives our Police Department the ability to better separate the good from the bad.''

Councilwoman Laura Chick said the ordinance will be good for professional massage therapists because ``it legitimizes the profession.''

Ahmos Netanel, past president of the state chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association, said his group has been trying for 10 years to get the city to toughen the standards for getting a massage therapist license.

``It will help us differentiate therapeutic massage professionals from the adult entertainment industry,'' said Netanel, president of the Massage Therapist Center in West Los Angeles.

Masseuses contacted Tuesday had mixed reactions to the new ordinance.

A massage therapist in Studio City who asked that her real name not be used said she has 150 hours of training at a licensed school and does not mind going back to class.

``I think it's a good idea because then you would be skilled and you would know what you are doing,'' she said.

A masseuse in West Los Angeles said the new rules weren't needed.

``I don't think it's good,'' said the masseuse, who also asked that her real name not be used. ``You don't have to go to school to do massage. I think it all comes naturally.''

The ordinance expands the subjects for testing to include first aid and ``ethics of massage practice,'' and prohibits people who fail the test from retaking the exam for 12 weeks.

``There will be a dramatic decrease in the number of people who apply for a license, because some people will not want to go through the schooling,'' Rudell said.

Netanel agreed, noting the cost for 200 hours of instruction is about $1,500 and requires serious study of anatomy and physical sciences.

Rudell said the law would go a long way toward removing the ``massage therapist'' cover that many prostitutes use because prostitutes would be less likely to go through 500 hours of instruction just for the cover.

He acknowledged that some prostitutes may continue to operate without a massage permit if the permit is harder to get, but they can then be cited by police officers for providing massage without a permit. That is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail, Rudell said.