Last month most of you received a letter from me by mail.
I began that letter by detailing the courageous crusade of one Harrison Township, Ohio mom, Lisi Reynolds, to cleanse her Northridge community of the scourge of sexually oriented businesses. For years a dozen or so strip clubs and seedy adult bookstores had given the Northridge community a black eye – driving down property values, driving out legitimate businesses, and creating a hostile, unhealthy environment for residents.
After months of relentlessly raising public awareness through citizen actions such as town hall meetings, township trustee meetings and protests, Lisi had run into the same roadblock that had spoiled the efforts of concerned citizens across the state for years. Under current Ohio law, townships do not have full authority to regulate sexually oriented businesses.
The answer to Lisi’s dilemma, and to the devastation brought to families and communities throughout the state by the sex business industry, is the bill that we authored and have been working to get signed into law for over four years – the Community Defense Act (CDA). This critical legislation, House Bill 23, would provide two very important solutions to the problem of sex businesses.
1. It would give townships throughout the state the authority they need to regulate these businesses.
2. It would put into effect two very important regulations on a statewide basis – hours of operation (close at 11PM) and a 6-foot distance between dancers and patrons (a provision that would put an end to lap dances).
As I wrote last month, there was optimism in my pen. CDA had passed the Ohio House by 92-5. This year’s Senate president, Bill Harris, had assigned CDA to a favorable committee chaired by our friend Jim Jordan (R-Urbana) and it appeared that the bill could be out of committee and on the floor of the Senate for vote by the end of this month.
But in my letter I quoted our Director of Governmental Affairs, Barry Sheets. Barry warned, “We cannot underestimate the influence of the lobbyists that the Buckeye Association of Club Executives has engaged.”
His concern was well grounded.
That lobbying firm representing the strip club owners is State Street Consultants. Its CEO, Neil Clark, is the former Senate Republican Caucus finance director, and his previous clients include the gambling industry and the homosexual lobby.
Ordinarily a behind-the-scenes power figure, Clark has taken the extraordinary measure of making personal visits to Senate members in an attempt to kill this bill.
Apparently his visits are having an effect. Some senators, previously considered solid supporters, are now wavering in their support of this win-win bill.
We’re so close to passage of a bill that would mean so much to communities and families across the state torn apart by sex businesses. Please take the time to let our senators know that H. B. 23, the Community Defense Act, is important to us.
TAKE ACTION
Contact Senator Steve Austria (R-Beavercreek), a member of the Judiciary Committee, and ask him to support H. B. 23 in committee. His number is (614) 466-3780 or by e-mail at [email protected]
Contact Senate President Bill Harris (R-Ashland) at (614) 466-8086 or by e-mail at [email protected] and ask him to bring H. B. 23 to the floor for a vote.
Contact your own Ohio state senator and ask them to support H.B. 23. You can call the Legislative Information Line at (800) 282-0253 to get the name and phone number of your senator.
