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Pol Wants to Regulate Strippers
By
Jen Chung
Published May 10, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published May 10, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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Next for T&A: Albany style pork? We have to give Assemblyman Felix Ortiz props for thinking of creative ways to increase revenue, even if it's hilarious. The Post reports that the Brooklyn politician is proposing that strippers need to be licensed and have permits, or else they'll be fined as will any establishment that employees unlicensed strippers. The Post has details:
In his bill sponsor memo, Ortiz said his proposal is meant to protect human-trafficking victims, many of whom "are often found in the streets or working in establishments that offer commercial sex acts, such as strip clubs and pornography production companies.
"The purpose of this act is to ensure that dance performers are age appropriate, legally documented and not victims of severe forms of trafficking," the memo said.
Ortiz said he also wants to make sure strippers pay taxes on their lap-dance cash, and says that while the bill won't require strippers to get medical checkups, it might help protect them and their customers from sexually transmitted disease.
It's unclear how much the permits would cost, but Ortiz did propose fines: First-time violations of "stripping without a permit" - $20 fine; second offense - $50. Strip club owners would be fined $1,000 the first time if found employing unlicensed trippers, and up to $2,000 for subsequent violations.
The Post went to exotic club FlashDancers for reactions: One said, "This is a freelance job. How are they going to make money off of us like that?" While another said, "It ain't going to happen." We wonder how many strip club industry lobbyists are out there - think of it, strippers going to Albany to protest the bill!
Photograph by specmotors on Flickr
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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