Licensed massage therapists and their supporters holding protest signs at a Louisville Metro Council meeting on Aug. 13, 2026.(Roberto Roldan / LPM )Louisville Metro Council voted unanimously Thursday night to ease regulations that were aimed at addressing massage facilities engaged in human traffi cking.The changes follow a year of sustained protest from licensed massage therapists who argued that the regulations, passed late last year, were financially burdensome and an invasion of clients’ privacy. That included requiring business owners to have security cameras on all entrances and exits, as well as keeping all doors unlocked, both of which are being clawed back.District 21 Council Member Betsy Ruhe cosponsored the ordinance that outlined the updates. She said ahead of Thursday’s vote that all stakeholders — licensed massage therapists, law enforcement and anti-human trafficking groups — agreed to the final compromise.“When we listen to our community and work across the aisle, we craft stronger, smarter legislation that makes Louisville safe for everyone,” Ruhe said.Under the approved changes, licensed massage therapists will no longer be required to have security cameras unless multiple city agencies suspect them of being involved in trafficking. Massage therapists will also be allowed to lock their doors when they are alone with a client.The biggest change is that massage therapists operating out of their homes will be exempt from the regulations, as long as they own the property.Licensed massage therapists have shown up at almost every Metro Council meeting since the start of the year, holding protest signs and speaking during the public comment period.Samantha Davis, who owns Louisville Prenatal Massage in the East End, said during Thursday’s meeting that she doesn’t think there would have been changes without the therapists’ organized pushback.“[This is] an amendment that we believe protects the most vulnerable in our community from the horrors of human trafficking, while keeping legitimate licensed professionals safe, too,” Davis said.Over the past year, the council also heard from massage therapists who said they were forced to close their business or take on loans to cover the cost of complying with the ordinance. ...read more read less