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

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 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.

FSC Responds to Supreme Court Decision on Texas AV Law

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has released a statement responding to last week's Supreme Court decision on FSC v. Paxton, the Texas age verification law.

UPDATED: Supreme Court Rules Against Adult Industry in Pivotal Texas AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday issued its decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, striking a blow against the online adult industry by ruling in support of Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

North Carolina Passes Extreme Bill Targeting Adult Sites

The North Carolina state legislature this week ratified a bill that would impose new regulations that industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

Supreme Court Ruling Due Friday in FSC v. Paxton AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court will rule on Friday in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, the adult industry trade association's challenge to Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

Ofcom: More Porn Providers Commit to Age Assurance Measures

A number of adult content providers operating in the U.K. have confirmed that they plan to introduce age checks in compliance with the Online Safety Act by the July 25 deadline, according to U.K. media regulator Ofcom.

Aylo Says It Will Comply With UK Age Assurance Requirements

Tech and media company Aylo, which owns various adult properties including Pornhub, YouPorn and Redtube, plans to introduce age assurance methods in the United Kingdom that satisfy government rules under the Online Safety Act, the company has announced.

Kyrgyzstan Parliament Approves Measure Outlawing Internet Porn

The Supreme Council of Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday passed legislation outlawing online adult content in the country.

Show More