13 Investigates Probes State Ban on Simplified Chinese Massage Exam

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) has discontinued the Simplified Chinese version of the state’s massage therapy licensing exam, citing the need to disrupt organized criminal networks and combat human trafficking. The decision, which took effect in November 2025, removes a language option that had been available to applicants for approximately two years.

According to reporting by ABC13 Houston, the TDLR first introduced the Simplified Chinese exam in July 2023 following feedback from the massage industry. The agency continues to offer the licensing exam in English and Spanish. While the exam is a mandatory requirement for individuals seeking to become licensed massage therapists in Texas, it is not required for those renewing an existing license.

Justification for Policy Change

The TDLR justified the removal of the Simplified Chinese translation by pointing to data regarding exam usage. In a notice sent in early November 2025, the agency stated that 59% of all Texas massage exam customers utilized the Simplified Chinese version during fiscal year 2024. That figure increased to 62% in fiscal year 2025.

The agency informed investigators that this volume of exams in Simplified Chinese did not reflect the demographics of Texas massage students or licensees. TDLR officials further asserted that the translated exam had become a factor in schemes connected to human trafficking and organized criminal networks.

Language accommodation should be balanced against the risk of enabling bad actors. Ending free Simplified Chinese translation services is a necessary step in disrupting organized criminal networks and reducing the spread of (Illicit Massage Businesses) in Texas.

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation

The agency described the termination of the translation service as a necessary measure to disrupt criminal operations and reduce the proliferation of illicit massage businesses across the state.

Concerns Over Discrimination

The policy change has drawn criticism from advocacy groups who argue the move targets a specific ethnic group. Nabila Mansoor, the executive director of Asian Texans for Justice, described the decision as discriminatory.

Mansoor stated that the state is casting a wide net on a small group of people and characterized the agency’s approach as frankly unacceptable.

Enforcement and Transparency

The removal of the exam follows a period of increased enforcement against suspected illicit operations. During a TDLR commission meeting on October 28, 2025, the agency reported that it had issued 26 emergency orders against illicit massage businesses throughout Texas within a six-month period. These emergency orders grant the TDLR the authority to close a business if the agency suspects human trafficking is occurring on the premises.

The ABC13 “13 Investigates” team reported that they spent several months attempting to obtain specific details regarding the decision-making process of TDLR leadership. The reporting indicated that these inquiries were met with a lack of transparency from the state agency.