Posted: | July 1, 2014 10:00 AM |
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From: | Representative Thomas P. Murt and Rep. Thomas R. Caltagirone |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Adult Entertainment Fee to Help Fund DPW's Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Centers Grant Program |
We are planning to introduce legislation that creates the Sexually Oriented Business Revenue Act. This bill was originally drafted by Rep. Paul Clymer in the form of HB 1318 in the 2011-12 legislative session. As Rep. Clymer pointed out so well in his original cosponsorship memo, strip clubs and similar “adult entertainment” businesses have a profound “negative and disruptive effect” on local communities. They are frequently the nexus of criminal activity and disorderly conduct in an otherwise quiet and law-abiding community, occupying too much police time and causing problems for local residents and businesses. Frankly, some of them are just plain sleazy. Based in large part on language from a Texas law that was just affirmed on appeal earlier this year, the bill will impose a $5 entrance fee on each customer of a sexually oriented business. These businesses include nightclubs and other establishments that feature live nude dancing, as well as adult entertainment venues that sell sexually explicit movies and material or that feature peep shows and other pornographic activity. Revenue from the fee will be forwarded to DPW for the department’s existing grant program for domestic violence and rape crisis centers. |
Introduced as HB2432