Family Policy Network of Ohio

strong>Citizens for Community Values urges passage of “The Community Defense Act”

According to the Cincinnati-based Citizens for Community Values (CCV), sexually oriented businesses are a blight on Ohio – “destroying marriages and families while plaguing communities with increased crime and decreased property values.” The group is supporting legislation before the Ohio Senate known as “The Community Defense Act” (a.k.a. House Bill 23), which would take two giant steps toward eliminating the adverse impact of sex businesses. First, it would give townships throughout the state the authority they need to regulate these businesses. Second, it would put into effect two very important regulations on a statewide basis – hours of operation (close at 11PM) and a 6-foot distance between dancers and patrons – – a provision that would put an end to lap dances.

Sponsored by Rep. Linda Reidelbach of Columbus, HB23 has enjoyed wide bipartisan support and passed the Ohio House of Representatives by a vote of 92-5 in April 2005. It is supported by the Ohio Township Association, the Ohio Municipal League, the Ohio Nurses Association, the Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association, the Ohio Council of Churches, local law enforcement and other officials.

According to CCV, HB23 is needed to put an end to the harm that sexually-oriented businesses are doing to families and communities. In the past, local governments have wanted to regulate sexually-oriented businesses, but didn’t do so because they couldn’t afford the inevitable lawsuits that would be filed in retaliation by wealthy pornographers. Passage of HB23 would permit localities to take action without the fear of legal retaliation by the peddlers of smut. It would strengthen the hand of local governments and law enforcement officials to deal with numerous negative effects of so-called “adult businesses. “

URGENT ACTION ITEM:

Strip club owners throughout Ohio are using their financial resources to try to prevent HB23 from passing. Christians should make their voice heard, too. You can make a difference by placing one phone call and sending one email to express your opinion to key lawmakers in Colombus.

* Call Ohio's legislative feedback number to express your opinion about House Bill 23. The number is (800) 282-0253. You'll need to provide your 9-digit zip code. <em>(NOTE: If you don't know your entire 9-digit ZIP code, you can find it on any utility bill or bank statement.)</em> * Also, <a href="mailto:[email protected][email protected]">CLICK HERE</a> to email Senate President Bill Harris (R-Ashland) and ask him to ensure HB23 will have a vote on the Senate floor.

RELATED INFORMATION:

The Legislative Service Commission of the Ohio House of Representatives issued the following analysis of The Community Defense Act(see original):

BILL SUMMARY · Prohibits persons having custody, control, or supervision of commercial establishments, with knowledge of the character of the visual material or performance, from knowingly permitting the use of, or offering the use of, viewing booths, stalls, or partitioned parts of rooms for the purpose of viewing visual materials or performances depicting sexual conduct unless certain requirements with respect to the booths’ physical characteristics are met, and designates the offense as permitting unlawful operation of viewing booths depicting sexual conduct. · Creates new R.C. Chapter 3768., which contains prohibitions, restrictions, penalties, civil remedies, and other regulations and definitions pertaining to adult entertainment establishments. · Prohibits a person from knowingly allowing an individual under the age of 18 on the premises of an adult entertainment establishment and prohibits an individual under the age of 18 from knowingly giving or showing false information or identification for the purpose of gaining entrance to an adult entertainment establishment. · Prohibits adult entertainment establishments from being open for business during certain hours of the day, except that adult entertainment establishments that hold a liquor permit may operate during the hours granted by the permit, subject to a restriction in regard to conducting adult entertainment. · Prohibits a nude or seminude person in certain adult entertainment establishments from getting closer than a specified distance from, touching, or generally receiving any pay or gratuity from, a patron, customer, or client, generally prohibits a patron, customer, or client in certain adult entertainment establishments from giving any pay or gratuity directly to or purposely touching a nude or seminude person or the person’s clothing, and prohibits an owner or employee of certain adult entertainment establishments from permitting any person to violate either of the two preceding prohibitions. · Authorizes the Attorney General, a prosecuting attorney, a city director of law, village solicitor, or other similar legal officer of a municipal corporation, or a township law director to commence a civil action for injunctive relief in the court of common pleas of the county in which an alleged violation of any of the bill’s adult entertainment prohibitions has occurred or is occurring and requires the court to grant temporary and permanent injunctive relief upon a showing of a violation. · Specifies that premises used or occupied for repeated violations of the bill’s adult entertainment prohibitions constitute a nuisance subject to abatement. · Provides that the bill’s provisions regulating adult entertainment establishments do not preempt or prevent political subdivisions from adopting additional regulations that do not conflict with the Liquor Permit Law, or any rule adopted pursuant to that Law, that regulates establishments holding a liquor permit. · Replaces the existing provisions in the Township Law pertaining to township regulation of adult cabarets and adult-oriented businesses with provisions authorizing township regulation of adult entertainment establishments. · Provides that township regulation of adult entertainment establishments, which may include licensing or permit requirements and criminal and civil sanctions for violation of the regulations, may be by resolution adopted by a board of township trustees or by township electors upon an initiative petition, and provides for injunctive relief or abatement of nuisance proceedings for any violation of a township resolution. · Specifically permits a county or a township that regulates adult entertainment establishments to modify zoning procedures as necessary to ensure that the procedures comply with constitutional requirements. · Creates new expedited procedures upon appeal of a final order, adjudication, or decision of any officer, tribunal, authority, board, bureau, commission, department, or other division of any political subdivision of the state denying an application for, or suspending or revoking, a license or permit to locate or operate an adult entertainment establishment. · Specifies the General Assembly’s findings and intent in regard to the enactment of new R.C. Chapter 3768.

The bill analysis of The Community Defense Act of Ohio above was taken from the website of the Legislative Service Commission of the House of Representatives. (Click here to see this analysis on the LSC’s website)