tuscl

What an inept petition drive in Ohio!

yndy
Maryland
Monday, October 15, 2007 2:08 PM
Strip club regulations won't be on ballot Election Day just got a little less sexy. Ohio voters won't get a chance to decide whether a newly passed statewide law banning touching between dancers and patrons at Ohio strip clubs should stay on the books. The statewide restrictions force "sexually orientated" businesses such as bookstores and peep shows to close at midnight, but allow strip clubs with liquor licenses to stay open past midnight, provided the dancers don clothes. Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner announced late Monday that an effort largely bankrolled by strip club owners to gather the 240,366 needed signatures for a ballot referendum had fallen short. County elections officials had been forced to print absentee ballots containing the measure just in case Issue 1 qualified. Now that it hasn't, the votes cast on that issue - the only statewide measure that had been proposed for the ballot - will not be tallied. The rest of the ballot will be valid. Under state law, opponents of the regulations needed to gather valid signatures from three percent of the electorate in each of at least 44 counties to get the issue on the Nov. 6 ballot. "At present, the petitioners have met the three percent requirements in only 15 counties," Brunner said in a statement. "With just 16 counties' reviews outstanding, it would be impossible for the petitioners to have reached the required threshold." Turned away at the ballot, the strip club owners are expected to head to a courtroom to seek to block the new restrictions on adult businesses, which would otherwise take effect once the failed ballot effort became official. Most likely the strip club owners will seek an injunction against the new law and head to federal court in Cleveland to argue the constitutionality of the new restrictions. "The legal work is in the final phase," said Sandy Theis, a spokeswoman for the strip club owners. "If we don't succeed in getting on the ballot, we're going to challenge on constitutional grounds." A spokesman for Citizens for Community Values, a Cincinnati-area group of social conservatives who brought the issue before state lawmakers through its own petition drive, said Monday's news just means a change in venue. "We're glad they don't have the opportunity to get in front of the voters and deceive them as they have done throughout this entire campaign while collecting signatures," said David Miller, the group's vice president. "But I don't see that this is the end." With some of the lowest signature validity rates in recent memory for a proposed ballot issue, the strip club owners paid at least $1.2 million to the Craig Group to collect signatures before switching gears and bringing in temps as signature-gatherers. "We spent $1.5 million to get the signatures, and look at the results," said Theis

11 comments

  • Book Guy
    •
    17 years ago
    If the numbers aren't there ...
  • chandler
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    17 years ago
    It sounds like strip club owners thought they could cheat the referendum process the same way they get away from cheating their customers and dancers.
  • chandler
    •
    17 years ago
    erm....make that "get away *with*"
  • DougS
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    17 years ago
    EvilCyn: What does this mean for your club? I've heard that NO touching will be allowed, when it goes into effect - which I believe is yet this week. Does that mean total air dances?
  • ThisOldManPlayed1
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    17 years ago
    From reading the newspaper this morning, there isn't suppose to be any touching from the customer. Does this mean the "dancer" can touch? It's a very 'vague' no touch law. From what I am reading, here is the jist of the bill: 1) Sexually oriented businesses to close between midnight and 6a.m.. 2) Clubs with liquor permits can remain open after midnight, but adult entertainment must cease. 3) If a patron touches a dancer's breast "below a point immediately above the top of the areola," the violator can be cited for a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail and $1,000 fine. 4) If a patron touches another part of the woman's breast or a body part other than genitals or buttocks, it would be a fourth-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $250 fine. 5) The law also prohibits touching a nude or semi-nude dancer, or their clothing, in a club, anywhere on the premises or in an adjacent paking lot of parking garage. This exclude members of the dancer's immediate family. 6) If complaints are received, sheriff's will send an officer to the club or establishment to observe. The officer would have to see an alleged violation to issue a citation under the new law. So, Cyn, to answer your question, I suppose air dances are in order? I'm not sure if I want to be the first tester of this law, but it sounds like a "complaint" has to be issued by somebody to get into any type of trouble. Funny, how I haven't read in the bill, that it isn't a violation if the dancer touches the customer!
  • blue88
    •
    17 years ago
    As an Ohio resident, I'm interested in how this will turn out. I'd say, after reading the full text of Senate Bill 16, that lap dances will still be ok, as long as the dancer has her top on. Note how it says, "while nude or seminude": (2) No employee who regularly appears nude or seminude on the premises of a sexually oriented business, while on the premises of that sexually oriented business and while nude or seminude shall knowingly touch a patron who is not a member of the employee's immediate family... Bikini tops have a way of slipping down in private. Even if they don't, I'm not sure I'd care, as long as I'm getting the kind of attention I want from the "employees". A really good dancer doesn't need to get naked to turn me on and take my money.
  • blue88
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    17 years ago
    Bones, this is what it says about the customer touching the dancer: (C)(1) No patron who is not a member of the employee's immediate family shall knowingly touch any employee while that employee is nude or seminude or touch the clothing of any employee while that employee is nude or seminude.
  • DougS
    •
    17 years ago
    It sounds to me like touching BOTH ways is not allowed while being nude or semi-nude. Does that imply that touching is not inhibited at a bikini club? I THINK it does. Also, the clause "who is not a member of the employee's immediate family"... I think that cries to have a justice of the peace on hand at the club... Then, you could "marry" the dancer, thus becoming "immediate family", have a great dance session, then have your "marriage" annulled.
  • minnow
    •
    17 years ago
    2 key things here- the meaning of the word "touch", and the meaning of the word "semi-nude". To be on safe side, one should probably assume that touch= come in contact with. To some prudes, anything more revealing than briefs bottoms and halter top might be considered "seminude". Which brings me to apparent requirement for someone to actually file a complaint. Can you say "undercover cop", or politically motivated DA"? Not to mention a religious zealot stooging around- how would they know how to craft wording for bill if they didn't at least observe some "goings on". So, as Otter and Boone (Animal House) said.... "ROAD TRIP"!!!
  • blue88
    •
    17 years ago
    Yup, it looks like the new law says nothing about touching unless the dancer is nude or seminude. (12) “Seminude” or “state of seminudity” means a state of dress in which opaque clothing covers not more than the genitals, pubic region, and nipple of the female breast, as well as portions of the body covered by supporting straps or devices. I'm having a hell of a time parsing that, but I think it means that, as long as her goodies are covered, she isn't seminude. Touch all you want. Make her put on socks, just to be safe.
  • ThisOldManPlayed1
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    17 years ago
    Yeah hear that EVILCYN?? We're safe at your club, since it is classified as a bikini club!! YEAH!!! Breakout the party ballons and tell my FAVs I'll be back in middle of November!!! I think I'll bring a Blue Magic pill if all four of you are there!
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