Illinois massage therapists push back against local ordinances

Published June 25, 2025 12:05pm ET



(The Center Square) – Licensed massage therapists in Illinois say local anti-trafficking ordinances unfairly burden legal, state-regulated businesses. 

MaryAnn Shelton, a licensed massage therapist in Bloomington-Normal, said a recently passed city ordinance could open the door to regulatory overreach, penalize law-abiding health practitioners, and lay the groundwork for a state-backed push to legalize prostitution.

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