Title
Amending Chapter 9-600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Service and Other Businesses," by providing for the licensing of touch therapy, and by repealing certain provisions relating to massage and massage businesses, all under certain terms and conditions.
Body
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1. Sections 9-610 and 9-611 of The Philadelphia Code are repealed in their entirety.
SECTION 2. Chapter 9-600 of The Philadelphia Code is amended to read as follows:
CHAPTER 9-600. SERVICE AND OTHER BUSINESSES
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§ 9-610. Touch Therapy.
(1) Definitions. In this Section, the terms set forth below shall be defined as follows:
(a) Touch Therapy. Any practice involving physical contact or extremely close proximity between a practitioner and a client, or the application of any device or object by a practitioner to a client, where the practice is claimed by the practitioner to enhance health or well-being, to alleviate pain, or to bring physical or psychological comfort, and is performed for consideration. The term includes, but is not limited to:
(i) The use of touch, words and directed movement to deepen awareness of existing patterns of movement in the body and to suggest new possibilities of movement.
(ii) The use of touch to affect the energy systems, acupoints, Qi meridians or channels of energy of the human body, including acupressure, Asian bodywork therapy, polarity therapy bodywork, quigon, reiki, shiatsu and tui na.
(2) Exemptions. This Section shall not apply to any of the following:
(a) Any activity for which the practitioner is required to hold a license under the Massage Therapy Law, Act of October 9, 2008, P.L. 1438, No. 118 (63 P.S.§§ 627.1 et seq.).
(b) The practice of a profession by an individual who is licensed, certified or registered by a City or Commonwealth agency under other law and who is performing services within the scope of practice auth...
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