Senator Withdraws Strip Club Liquor Bill

Memphis Lawmaker Proposed the Sale of Liquor by the Drink

MyFoxMemphis.com
April 27, 2007

Sen. Joe Haynes announced he plans to challenge fellow Democrat John Wilder for the post as speaker of the state Senate. (AP Photo) Legislation to allow strip clubs in Tennessee sell liquor by the drink and require licensing of exotic dancers appears to be dead after some local officials said such a measure would interfere with local government efforts to regulate the industry.

Sen. Paul Stanley said he sponsored the bill because he thought it would allow local law enforcement and district attorneys to exercise more control rather than less over the strip club industry.

Stanley, R-Memphis, agreed to withdraw the legislation after talking with Shelby County district Attorney General Bill Gibbons on Thursday about the prosecutor's concerns with the bill.

The "Tennessee Cabaret Licensing Act," co-sponsored by Rep. Curry Todd, R-Collierville, was approved by the House Government Operations Committee on Wednesday. It had not been considered yet by any Senate committee.

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 also would be licensed with two-year permits after undergoing background checks by the TBI.

Tennessee Cabaret Association lobbyist Tracy O'Neill did not return a phone call seeking comment.

Being licensed by the Alcoholic Beverage Commission would allow adult entertainment establishments to sell liquor drinks, something currently prohibited by state law. Some clubs are allowed to sell beer.

Todd was unavailable for comment after Stanley's announcement to withdraw the bill. However, Todd said before Wednesday's committee vote on the bill that the legislation was a move to impose stringent statewide regulations on an industry where oversight varies across the state.

"This industry is not going away. We need to get some regulations on it. We'll get to see who owns these clubs," Todd said.