La. Legislators Look to Impose Regulations on Strip Clubs

NEW ORLEANS — Pushed by the religious right, Louisiana legislators are considering imposing regulations that could potentially drain lap dance revenue from strip clubs across the state.

According to a report in New Orleans City Business, Louisiana Family Forum’s lobbying recently yielded a bill proposed by Sen. John Smith, R-Leesville, that called for a six-foot buffer between dancers and customers.

The bill didn’t get enough votes to make it out of the state’s Senate Commerce Committee, but the forum said it plans to press its cause. And, according to City Business, “people on both sides agree it will pass by a wide margin if it comes up for a full vote.”

State Sen. Danny Martiny, R-Kenner, voted against the bill because he thought it was too broad and strip clubs should be regulated at the community level. He received a call from a priest, who apparently was notified via alert from the forum.

Few politicians would withstand that kind of moral pressure, and that is one of the goals of the Forum, Robert Watters, owner of Rick’s Cabaret in New Orleans, he said.

To advance his cause, Watters has formed an association of club operators in the French Quarter to combat attempts to shut them down. A club operator since 1983, when he took over a business dominated by biker gangs and plagued with crime, he said he has cleaned up the industry’s image.

“We were the first topless club to focus on attracting businessmen as customers and that helped us attract a higher class of dancers,” he told City Business. “We were the first to charge a cover and put management on salary. We drug test our employees, and if we find anyone doing anything illegal they’re terminated.”

That may not prove to be enough as some view strip clubs as havens for obscenity and catalysts for crime. Pushed by religious group Citizens for Community Values, Ohio last year banned all forms of contact between strippers and their customers.

This resulted in a 30 percent to 80 percent revenue loss for club operators, forcing many to close, Angelina Spencer, executive director of the National Association of Club Executives, a trade association for adult nightclubs, he said.

Mark Wilson, president of the French Quarter Business Association, said he didn’t think the proposed regulations were a good idea.

“Part of me would like to not have as many gentlemen clubs proliferating in the French Quarter to extent they have, but it’s free enterprise at work,” Wilson said. “And Bourbon Street has always had a certain mystique. You can’t take that away by imposing this kind of legislation on businesses without it hurting the city.”

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Federal Appeals Court Vacates FTC 'Click to Cancel' Rule Pending Review

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit on Tuesday vacated the Federal Trade Commission’s “click-to-cancel” rule aimed at making it easier for consumers to cancel online subscriptions, pending further review.

NYC Adult Stores Lose Challenge to Zoning Law, May Face Relocation

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit on Tuesday upheld a lower court’s decision to allow enforcement of a 2001 zoning law aimed at forcing adult retail stores out of most parts of New York City.

FSC Drops Florida AV Lawsuit in Wake of SCOTUS Decision

A U.S. district court judge granted on Tuesday a motion by Free Speech Coalition to dismiss the trade association’s lawsuit over Florida’s age verification law, a case that had been on hold pending the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on the constitutionality of state AV laws.

Ukrainian President Responds to Porn Legalization Petition

President Volodymyr Zelensky responded Tuesday to an OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine, stating that he would wait for the legislative process to play out “in accordance with established procedure.”

NC Governor Vetoes Bill Targeting Adult Industry, Override Possible

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein today vetoed a bill imposing new regulations that adult industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

25,000 Sign Petition to Legalize Pornography in Ukraine

An OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine has amassed the 25,000 signatures required for official consideration by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

FSC Unpacks SCOTUS Age Verification Ruling in Webinar

The Free Speech Coalition conducted a public webinar Tuesday to help adult industry stakeholders understand the Supreme Court’s recent decision in FSC v. Paxton, and its potential implications.

UK Lawmaker Calls for Appointment of 'Porn Minister'

Baroness Gabrielle Bertin, the Conservative member of Parliament who recently convened a new anti-pornography task force, is calling for the appointment of a “minister for porn,” according to British news outlet The Guardian.

FSC Toasts Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Service

n the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.

FSC: Age-Verification Laws Go Into Effect in South Dakota, Georgia, Wyoming on July 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a statement regarding new age verification laws set to go into effect tomorrow in South Dakota, Georgia, and Wyoming.

Show More