I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 9755 

To require owners and employees of massage wellness spas to undergo fingerprint-based background checks to mitigate the risk of human trafficking 

and enhance public safety. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 23, 2024 

Ms. BOEBERT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To require owners and employees of massage wellness spas 

to undergo fingerprint-based background checks to mitigate the risk of human trafficking and enhance public 

safety. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Human Trafficking 

5 Fingerprint Background Check Protection Act of 2024’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PURPOSE; FINDINGS. 

7 (a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to require 

8 owners and employees of massage wellness spas to underVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:27 Oct 04, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H9755.IH H9755

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1 go fingerprint-based background checks to mitigate the 

2 risk of human trafficking and enhance public safety. 

3 (b) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 

4 (1) Human trafficking remains a grave concern, 

5 with massage wellness spas being identified as 

6 venues frequently associated with such criminal ac7 tivities. 

8 (2) The protection of vulnerable individuals and 

9 the prevention of human trafficking are paramount. 

10 (3) Comprehensive background checks, particu11 larly fingerprint-based ones, have proven to be effec12 tive in identifying potential risks and preventing ex13 ploitation. 

14 SEC. 3. FINGERPRINT BACKGROUND CHECKS. 

15 (a) All owners and employees of massage wellness 

16 spas, including independent contractors, shall be subject 

17 to a fingerprint-based background check. 

18 (b) The background check shall be conducted by a 

19 law enforcement agency, or an entity authorized by the 

20 relevant jurisdiction to perform such checks. 

21 (c) The results of the background check shall be re22 viewed to determine the presence of any criminal history, 

23 particularly related to offenses such as human trafficking, 

24 sexual exploitation, or violence. 


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1 (d) Owners and employees must pass the background 

2 check prior to being able to own, be employed, or allowed 

3 to continue their employment in a massage parlor. 

4 SEC. 4. COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT. 

5 (a) Owners of massage wellness spas shall be respon6 sible for ensuring that all employees undergo the required 

7 background checks. 

8 (b) Failure to comply with the provisions of this Act 

9 shall result in penalties as determined by the relevant ju10 risdiction, which may include fines, suspension, or revoca11 tion of licenses. 

12 SEC. 5. REPORTING. 

13 Law enforcement agencies shall report any findings 

14 of criminal activity uncovered during the background 

15 check process to appropriate authorities for further inves16 tigation and action. 

17 SEC. 6. TRAINING AND ENFORCEMENT. 

18 (a) Owners and employees of massage wellness spas 

19 shall undergo training on recognizing and reporting signs 

20 of human trafficking. 

21 (b) Educational materials and resources shall be 

22 made available to massage parlor owners and employees 

23 to raise awareness about human trafficking and related 

24 issues. 


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1 SEC. 7. ENACTMENT. 

2 This Act shall take effect 120 days after the date of 

3 enactment. 

4 SEC. 8. RELIABILITY OF FINGERPRINT BACKGROUND 

5 CHECKS. 

6 (a) Fingerprint-based background checks are widely 

7 recognized as one of the most reliable methods for identi8 fying individuals and assessing their criminal history. 

9 (b) Fingerprinting offers a unique identifier for each 

10 individual, significantly reducing the likelihood of false 

11 positives or identity confusion. 

12 (c) The use of fingerprints in background checks en13 hances accuracy and completeness by accessing criminal 

14 records databases at local, State, and Federal levels. 

15 (d) Studies have shown that fingerprint-based back16 ground checks have a high degree of accuracy and are ef17 fective in identifying individuals with criminal histories. 

18 (e) Law enforcement agencies, government entities, 

19 and employers across various sectors rely on fingerprint20 based background checks as a standard practice for vet21 ting individuals’ criminal history. 

22 (f) By mandating fingerprint-based background 

23 checks for owners and employees of massage wellness 

24 spas, this Act ensures a robust and reliable screening proc25 ess to identify potential risks and protect against human 

26 trafficking and related crimes. 


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1 SEC. 9. DEFINITION. 

2 The term ‘‘massage wellness spa’’ is defined as a 

3 business establishment where various forms of massage 

4 therapy are offered. A facility where licensed massage 

5 therapists provide therapeutic treatments designed to pro6 mote relaxation, relieve stress, alleviate pain, and improve 

7 overall health and well-being. This definition includes mas8 sage parlors, massage facility, massage spa, and any other 

9 facility where the core service is to provide massage serv10 ices of any kind. 

Æ 


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