Press
Release
Strip
club act off the stage
State legislation might hurt local control, say officials
By Richard Locker,
Commercial Appeal
April 27, 2007
NASHVILLE -- State
legislation sought by Tennessee strip clubs allowing them to sell liquor by
the drink appears dead -- a day after winning its first committee vote --
after Shelby County officials charged Thursday that it would pre-empt local
efforts to regulate the industry more tightly.
Shelby County Dist.
Atty. Gen. Bill Gibbons said he was surprised to learn Thursday morning that
the "Tennessee Cabaret Licensing Act" won its first committee approval in
the state legislature the day before. He called Sen. Paul Stanley,
R-Germantown, bill sponsor with Rep. Curry Todd, R-Collierville, and asked
him to withdraw the bill.
Stanley agreed to
withdraw it from the Senate, saying he originally consented to sponsor the
measure because he believed it would allow local law enforcement and
district attorneys to "exercise more control over adult-oriented
businesses."
But Gibbons and Shelby
County Commissioner Mike Ritz said they believe the bill would have the
opposite effect. The two are working on a proposed county ordinance that
would require county licensure and regulation of the adult entertainment
industry. Ritz said it will be discussed May 7 in the County Commission's
Land Use Control Committee that he chairs.
"Our concern about the
state legislation is it's really an attempt by the adult entertainment
industry to pre-empt our efforts at the local level and to get their foot in
the door to sell liquor by the drink," Gibbons said. "For both of those
reasons we oppose it.
The bill was drafted by
the Tennessee Cabaret Association and would require each adult entertainment
establishment to be licensed by the state Alcoholic Beverage Commission.
Exotic dancers would also be licensed with two-year permits, after
undergoing background checks by the TBI.
In return for the state
oversight, the exotic clubs would be allowed to serve liquor by the drink,
which is currently prohibited by state law. In some locations, including
Memphis, the clubs are allowed to sell beer.
Todd could not be
reached for comment after Stanley's announcement Thursday that he will
withdraw the bill. But in the House Government Operations Committee
Wednesday, the Collierville lawmaker characterized the legislation as a move
to impose "stringent regulations" statewide on an industry where
governmental oversight now varies widely and in some places is non-existent.
"This industry is not
going away. We need to get some regulations on it. We'll get to see who owns
these clubs," Todd told the committee Wednesday.
Ritz said Thursday the
industry was "going to do an end-run on the local ordinance and get whisky
too. The whole thing is a total sham."
Gibbons office has shut
down three clubs in Shelby County and another nine remain in operation. He
said he and other district attorneys met with Tracy O'Neill, lobbyist for
the Cabaret Association, about six weeks ago -- at her request -- and told
her they would oppose the measure.
O'Neill did not return
calls Thursday. She said earlier there are 47 clubs across the state.
