Local officials have found that proposed strip club laws would interfere with the local government's ability to control adult businesses in Tennessee, rather than regulate them as sponsors intended.
The prospective law would require strip clubs to be licensed by the state Alcoholic Beverage Commission, with exotic dancers subject to mandatory background checks in order to secure two-year work permits.
Sen. Paul Stanley (R-Memphis) told the Associated Press that he sponsored the bill because he thought it would allow local law enforcement and district attorneys to exercise more control over the strip club industry.
Stanley has now agreed to withdraw the legislation after consulting with Shelby County district attorney Bill Gibbons. The bill had been approved by the House Government Operations Committee on Wednesday.
With only a few exceptions, Tennessee state law currently prohibits the sale of alcohol in strip clubs.
Co-sponsor Rep. Curry Todd (R-Collierville) told the AP before Wednesday's committee vote on the bill that the legislation was "a move to impose stringent statewide regulations on an industry where oversight varies across the state."
"This industry is not going away. We need to get some regulations on it. We'll get to see who owns these clubs," Todd said.
