§ 18.5-17. Massage technician permit.

(a)

Required. No person shall manage a massage establishment, practice or administer massages unless he has a valid permit issued pursuant to the provisions of this article.

(b)

Application.

(1)

Fee. Any person desiring to obtain a permit to act as a massage technician shall make application to the department of inspection and code enforcement for a massage technician permit. A fee of fifty dollars ($50.00), made payable to the director of finance, shall accompany the submission of a application to defray the costs of an investigation and administration.

(2)

Contents. The application shall be verified by the applicant. Any application for a massage technician permit shall furnish all of the information required by subsection (b)(2) of section 18.5-16 of this chapter. In addition, the applicant shall furnish the following:

a.

Certificate from a medical doctor, licensed to practice in the state, stating that the applicant has within thirty (30) days immediately preceding the date of application been examined and found to be free of any contagious or communicable diseases.

b.

A diploma or certificate of graduation from a "recognized school," or a certified photocopy of applicant's grade record, reflecting successful completion of a course in anatomy or anatomy and physiology at an institution of higher education which is authorized to confer degrees under R.S. 17:2050 et seq.; any college or university under R.S. 17:3201 et seq.; or any recognized educational facility under R.S. 17:1991 et seq.

c.

The massage establishment, if any at which the applicant expects to be employed.

(c)

Investigation. Applications for permits under this section shall be referred to the sheriff and the parish health unit, who shall cause a investigation to be made of the applicant and report their findings to the department of inspection and code enforcement.

(d)

Granting of permit. Within sixty (60) days of receipt of the application, the department of inspection and code enforcement shall either grant or deny a massage technician permit. The sheriff's office, the parish health unit and the applicant shall be notified within forty-eight (48) hours of the denial or acceptance of the application. In the event of denial, the applicant shall have thirty (30) days from the date of notice of the denial to appeal to the review committee in accordance with the procedure outlined in section 18.5-18. The department of inspection and code enforcement shall grant a massage technician permit only if it finds that:

(1)

The required fee has been paid;

(2)

The application conforms in all respects to the provisions of this chapter;

(3)

The applicant has not knowingly made a material misstatement in the application for a permit;

(4)

The applicant has fully cooperated in the investigation of his application;

(5)

The applicant has not been convicted of a felony under the law of the United States, of Louisiana or any other state, or forfeited bail, or been convicted of violation of any law of any jurisdiction for prostitution, pandering, lewd conduct or sexual misconduct within five (5) years of the application;

(6)

The applicant has furnished an acceptable medical certificate from a qualified physician, authorized to practice medicine, as defined by the laws of the state;

(7)

The applicant has furnished to the department of inspection and code enforcement an acceptable diploma or certificate of graduation from a "recognized school," or a certified photocopy of applicant's grade record, reflecting successful completion of a course in anatomy or anatomy and physiology at an institution of higher education which is authorized to confer degrees under R.S. 17:2050 et seq.; any college or university under R.S. 17:3201 et seq.; or any recognized educational facility under R.S. 17:1991 et seq.;

(8)

The applicant has not previously had a massage technician permit or other similar permit or license denied or revoked for cause by this parish or by any other governing authority within two (2) years of the date of application;

(9)

The applicant is over eighteen (18) years of age.

(Code 1961, § 11A-63; Ord. No. 15848, § 2, 1-18-84; Ord. No. 15913, § 1, 2-29-84; Ord. No. 15992, § 1, 4-11-84; Ord. No. 16398, § 1, 4-10-85; Ord. No. 16538, §§ I—III, 8-7-85)