Governor signs bill restricting strip clubs

Legislation aimed at curbing the business of strip clubs and other adult entertainment has become law, again.

Gov. Jay Nixon today signed SB586, by Sen. Matt Bartle, R-Lee’s Summit.

The Legislature passed legislation with the same underlying premise in 2005, but the industry challenged it, and the Missouri Supreme Court struck it down. The court said it was unconstitutional because it was tacked onto a bill dealing with drunken driving and hence changed from its original purpose.

Bartle has tried for years to get the adult entertainment bill passed again. He says strip clubs and other adult businesses send the wrong message to society about treatment of women.

The measure prevents new “sexually oriented businesses” from opening within 1,000 feet of a school, church, day care or park. It also prohibits people with certain criminal records from serving as a top leader of such a business.

In businesses that remain, employees couldn’t be fully nude. Those who are partly nude would have to be on a stage at least 6 feet from customers and couldn’t touch them; no alcohol could be served; and strip clubs would have to close between midnight and 6 a.m.

Some opponents said the measure will hurt border cities in particular whose neighboring states are more welcoming.

Others said it was another example of the state wrongly imposing requirements on an issue best left to local officials’ discretion.