The bill introduced by Representative Lorenz seeks to enhance the regulation and oversight of massage businesses in Ohio by amending several sections of the Revised Code and enacting new provisions. Key measures include defining "massage operations," requiring operators to utilize financial transaction devices for payments, and mandating the reporting of employee payroll to the attorney general, which includes cross-referencing employee license numbers. The bill also prohibits the classification of employees as independent contractors and establishes an illicit massage task force within the attorney general's office to monitor suspicious transactions and investigate employee classification issues. Additionally, it mandates the attorney general to adopt rules governing payroll reporting methods, employee classification guidance, and standards for identifying suspicious transactions.

Moreover, the bill introduces regulatory measures aimed at addressing human trafficking and ensuring compliance with health and safety standards in massage establishments. It establishes penalties for employing unlicensed massage therapists, maintaining locked sleeping quarters, and accepting cash payments without payroll records. The bill also creates a "Victims of Human Trafficking Fund" to support treatment and rehabilitation for trafficking victims and establishes a "Local Notification of Human Trafficking Database" to track offenders. Existing sections of the Revised Code related to these issues are repealed, and funding for the new database is appropriated for fiscal year 2027, thereby strengthening the regulatory framework surrounding massage operations and addressing public health and safety concerns.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 109.572, 503.41, 3767.10, 5101.87