INDIANAPOLIS| The Indiana House voted 52-39 Tuesday to begin state regulation of massage therapists, a move proponents say would strike a blow against brothels fronting as spas.

"I think we needed to do that with what we went through in Valparaiso," state Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, said after voting for the measure.

Police busted a pair of Valparaiso spas on prostitution charges in January, and similar stings took place a few weeks later in Carmel, a suburb north of Indianapolis.

Highland police and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement service raided four spas in Highland and Dyer a year ago following a lengthy investigation into claims spa employees solicited sex from customers.

The Senate overwhelmingly approved the therapist certification measure last month, but still must sign off on minor changes made in the House.

The legislation, Senate Bill 320, would require therapists to complete several hundred hours of training and pass one of two exams offered by national massage therapy associations.

The goal is "basically to separate the real massage therapists from the hookers," state Rep. David Wolkins, R-Winona Lake, told colleagues.

Meanwhile, opponents argued it's unfair to force long-practicing professionals to prove their skills on a national test.

"This is going to put some of your legitimate massage therapists out of business," said state Rep. David Crooks, D-Washington.

If the Senate agrees with the latest version of the certification legislation, Indiana likely would join Illinois and at least 36 other states that already regulate massage therapists. Gov. Mitch Daniels has indicated support for the effort.