HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0052.004 2020-2022 i2
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CpNM.S2
From: Steph Bath
Sent: Sunday, January 31, 2021 3:53 PM COUNTY CLERK
To: Council Testimony COUNTY OF HAWAI'I
Subject: Bill 12 • RECEIVED6
Time 6;539(11. By
Date JAN 3 1. 2021
IIRS 452-1 defines:
"Massage therapy establishment" means premises
occupied and used for the purpose of practicing
massage therapy or massage therapy training; provided that when any massage therapy establishment is situated in
any building used for residential purposes, the massage therapy establishment premises shall be set apart and shall not
be used for any other purpose"
(Recently the state legislature adopted the sanitation rules governing massage therapy. (Rule 84))
These establishments must also abide by local ordinances as well.
I share this with you in the event that you are not aware that the State of Hawaii allows for massage therapy
establishments to be within residences.
These businesses must apply for use permits when they are within non urban areas.
As a licensed massage therapy who serves on State Board of Massage therapy, I am supportive of massage therapy
being classified as the health care profession which it is. (Speaking as an individual)
The coronavirus pandemic is changing the way folks are working. Many are working from home. In fact there were
many who had small business offices within their residences prior to Covid-19.
Because of the permitting and unreasonable amount of hoops needed to be jumped through, many folks just do their
' businesses from home under the radar.
These same folks are providing revenue to our communities and provide lacking levels of service to communities
specifically Kau and Puna.
As you look at the bill, please consider ways to allow these small business to flourish rather that reasons they can not.
Will this bill create more obstacles and demands to legally practice?
Will these locations be required to plumb, wire, etc to hospital standards?
My previous testimony gives an example of fire codes which are ,with all due respect, absurd.
We can start overlaying needs and health and safety to allow for health care services to function within communities.
This will get not only health care providers who practice under the radar to be legal, it may also allow accountants,
and other professionals to be law abiding rather than criminals cause they just want to work out of their residence.
Perhaps this testimony touch's the fringes of this bill, however it's passage may effect health care providers in a way
the bill was not intended.
Mahalo for your consideration of my thoughts now or as they apply to this issue in the future. oz.4
Comm. No.
Thanks for serving! Ref.To: PLR)
1 Ref. Date F E B _ 2 2021
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Stephanie Bath
Kurtistown
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2