A proposed Idaho law to get tough on sexually oriented businesses - including stringent licensing requirements - has died in the state Legislature. What made it somewhat unique was that three ordinarily opposed groups, the National Cabaret Association, the anti-porn Community Research Council, and former adult entertainer turned anti-porn crusader Kim Drake worked together to kill the bill. It would have required sexually oriented businesses and their workers get state licenses, and to allow for "certain acts" to be prohibited at risk of license suspension or revoking. "(T)he CDC and myself held informal talks on the steps of the Idaho Legislature, and have agreed to talk again in an effort to find middle grounds to help work together to address concerns that both sides raised in the debate," says XXXpolitics.com's Mike Ross, who joined in opposition to the bill.
SAN FRANCISCO - A swing club association's claim that California Alcoholic Beverage Commission officers can't have immunity in a lawsuit naming the commission as a defendant has been upheld by the 9th circuit court of appeals. The Lifestyles Organization suit now goes back to a lower court for trial. The LSO claims the ABC threatened the liquor licenses of businesses doing business with the group at two LSO-hosted erotic art conventions planned in 1996 and 1997. The opinion, by 9th circuit court judge Thomas G. Nelson, also suggested the ABC was, in effect, trying to block future LSO erotic art exhibitions by intimidation as well. "We are not persuaded by the officials' contention that LSO was required to plead that a particular ABC licensee had in fact refused to lease premises to LSO for a particular exhibition or trade show, and that it did so because of fear of ABC sanctions," Nelson wrote. "It was sufficient for LSO to plead, as it did, that the threat of enforcement... was likely to impede LSO's ability to find venues for future exhibitions and trade shows within California. We think it follows logically from LSO's pleadings that few, if any, businesses will be willing to risk their liquor licenses in order to do business with LSO, and that this state of affairs burdens LSO's freedom of expression."
TALAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida and Pennsylvania are now weighing anti-porn Internet filter requirements for public school and library computers. A bill in Florida's state House would require public libraries to put filtering on half their computers to keep users from accessing "obscene descriptions, photographs, or depictions," or in their only computer if they have only one. Pennsylvania's lower House is also considering a requirement for both schools and libraries to put filtering into their computers, as well as to draw up "acceptable use" policies. The Pennsylvania proposal has a clause allowing library users to petition officials to review access denial for certain Net material - and to appeal it to a judge, if the library turns the review down. The Censorware Project says both Florida's and Pennsylvania's proposals pose First Amendment problems, based on filtering softwares' problems involving their blocking of non-porn and "socially useful" information that isn't obscene. Lawmakers in Alabama, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey, Virginia, and Wisconsin all introduced filtering bills this year.
--- Compiled by Philo Levin
