A legislative push to keep people under the age of 21 from performing or working in adult entertainment venues has died in committee and will not be voted on by the Senate or House this year.
The bills from Republican Sen. Clay Yarborough (SB 1690) and Republican Rep. Carolina Amesty (HB 1379) were envisioned as a way to curb the problem of human trafficking by raising the age limits from 18. But the House bill did not get it on the Commerce agenda, and the Senate product was temporarily postponed in Tuesday's Fiscal Policy committee, essentially closing the path in both legislative bodies.
The legislation stipulated that owners would have been subject to first-degree misdemeanor charges regarding those under 21 working in the clubs and other adult establishments. If those under 21 dare to bare, the penalty would have been enhanced to a second-degree felony penalty for the proprietors.
The legislative push to end what sponsors called "modern-day slavery" saw amendments along the way in the House and Senate, but to no avail.
The bills did not completely align after a Senate amendment saying ignorance of an employee's age is no defense against charges under this potential law, which would have affected adult bookstores, adult theaters, special cabaret locations and unlicensed massage establishments.
Outside of the Legislature, questions abounded about what the bill would actually do. A February Criminal Justice Estimating Impact Conference meeting found that they couldn't guarantee the bill would subject any scofflaws to incarceration, tacitly raising questions about whether this high-profile slam of college girls stripping would accomplish anything other than punitive symbolism.
Analysts said "there just isn't data right now" as to how this will impact prison beds, so the ultimate impact is considered to be "positive indeterminate" at this point.
While a committee bill analysis asserted "the state has a compelling interest in safeguarding the community and children from trafficking and sexual exploitation," ultimately the Legislature couldn't get it through this year.
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