Attack on Adult Entertainment Sparks Legal Challenge

Missouri’s newest attack on the adult entertainment industry faces an almost immediate court challenge. The new law goes into effect August 28th. It says people younger than 21 cannot go into and cannot work at strip clubs. Total nudity is banned. And customers have to be kept so far away from semi-nude employees that they can’t reach far enough to tuck money in the g-string’s elastic band. Lap dancing is out. No touching between customers and employees of any kind. Sponsor Matt Bartle (R-Lee’s Summit) knows a court test is coming. But Bartle says the provisions of the law have been tested in other states and have been upheld by courts in those states. The state association of Adult Club Executives will be going to court in a few days to keep the law from going into effect. The lawsuit says the law is unconstitutionally written. Bartle thinks a lawsuit on this bill will be another loser for the industry. He says lawsuits against last year’s billboard limitations for adult businesses have failed and this one should, too.