1 ORDINANCE NO.

2017-______
2
3 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF TAMPA, FLORIDA, RELATING
4 TO BATHHOUSES, MAKING REVISIONS TO CITY OF TAMPA
5 CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 6 (BUSINESS REGULATION);
6 AMENDING SECTION 6-4, DEFINITIONS; DELETING SECTIONS 6-
7 40 THROUGH 6-46; AMENDING SECTIONS 6-47 THROUGH 6-65,
8 RESERVED; AMENDING DIVISION 4. BATHHOUSES; REPEALING
9 ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT
10 THEREWITH; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING AN
11 EFFECTIVE DATE.
12
13 WHEREAS, City Council has heard testimony and is aware that the Tampa
14 Police Department reports that there is a pattern of lewdness, assignation, prostitution, or
15 sexual misconduct (illegal activities) in certain businesses operating under the guise of
16 massage establishments, or spas (said businesses); and,
17
18 WHEREAS, these said businesses use the cover of what appears to be a
19 legitimate business to allow these illegal activities; and,
20
21 WHEREAS, City Council has heard from community organizations, citizens, and
22 the State of Florida Department of Health, and is also familiar with the dangers of human
23 trafficking at said businesses; and,
24
25 WHEREAS, individuals may commit these illegal activities voluntarily, through
26 coercion, or through forced labor; and,
27
28 WHEREAS, society has become more aware of the potential for human
29 trafficking and that it can exist even where a victim does not appear to be held against his
30 or her will; and,
31
32 WHEREAS, Florida Law defines human trafficking as a human rights violation
33 and a form of modern-day slavery which includes the action or practice of compelling
34 someone to work or engage in a commercial sex act, and the Florida legislature has found
35 that victims of human trafficking are subjected to force, fraud or coercion for the purpose
36 of sexual exploitation or forced labor; and,
37
38 WHEREAS, Florida ranks third in the nation in the number of calls to the
39 National Human Trafficking Hotline; and,
40
41 WHERAS, the Florida Attorney General has created the Statewide Council on
42 Human Trafficking in an effort to find effective methods to protect victims, prosecute
43 johns, develop new legislation and provide enhanced law enforcement tools to shut down
44 human trafficking rings; and,

Ord_Sec_6-4_40-46_47-65_Div 4_Bathhouses_120617