New York lawmakers seek to repeal 40-year-old bathhouse restrictions

New York state lawmakers have introduced the Public Health Modernization Act, a legislative proposal aimed at repealing 40-year-old regulations that effectively prohibited adult saunas and bathhouses. The current restrictions were enacted in 1985 during the height of the AIDS epidemic as emergency public health measures.

State Senator Erik Bottcher and Assemblymember Tony Simone argue that these laws are outdated and do not reflect modern medical realities. They contend that advancements in HIV prevention and treatment—including routine testing, antiretroviral therapy, and PrEP—have fundamentally changed the public health landscape since the 1980s.

The proposed legislation would replace the existing prohibition with a modern regulatory framework, requiring the New York State Department of Health to establish a formal licensing and oversight system for these establishments. Proponents note that New York is an outlier among major cities for maintaining these specific restrictions.