meanor and subject to a fine of up to $1,000 or up to six months in prison or both. The bill also requires establishments to visibly display state authorization.

Sabrina Lopez, president of the American Massage Therapy Associations Maryland chapter, said the group is fully supportive of the bill.

“The proposal targets the right people and helps safeguard legitimate massage therapists,” Lopez said.

Howard County is the third jurisdiction in the state, after Washington and Charles counties, to have enhanced regulatory powers after the General Assembly passed a bill expanding powers last year.

After the expansion of powers, the number of questionable establishments fell from 17 to 1 in Charles County and all suspect parlors in Washington County were shuttered, Gardner testified last year.

Kittleman has authorized hiring a second full-time undercover police officer to conduct human trafficking investigations.

This year, he plans to create a council to prioritize recommendations from a 2014 task force and cement a permanent structure to combat human trafficking.

If the council passes the legislation, the department plans to launch a public awareness campaign, targeting owners of massage establishments, to explain the implementation of the measure.

In an effort to remove redundant requirements, the proposal slashes a section in the county’s code that requires the county to issue two-year licenses for massage establishments, managers and technicians.

The code already exempts licensed massage therapists, registered nurses, physicians and other occupations.

State licensing requirements pre-empt the county’s requirements, according to Bob Frances, director of the county’s Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits.

The bill will be introduced Monday and considered in April. fwaseem@baltsun.com