HCSHBs494&498--SEXUALLYORIENTEDBUSINESSES
SPONSOR: Baker
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonGeneralLawsbyavoteof12to3.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
494.
Thisbilldefines"adultcabaretperformance"andcreatesthe
offenseofengaginginanadultcabaretperformance,whichisa
classAmisdemeanorforafirstoffenseandaclassEfelonyfora
secondorsubsequentoffense. Apersoncommitstheoffenseof
engaginginanadultcabaretperformanceiftheperformanceison
publicpropertyorisinalocationwheretheperformanceis
reasonablyexpectedtobeviewedbyapersonwhoisnotanadult.
Thisbillamendsthedefinitionof"sexuallyorientedbusiness"to
includeanybusinessotherthananadultcabaretthatoffersan
adultcabaretperformance.
Thisamendeddefinitionisprovidedforasitrelatesto
regulationsandrestrictionsofsexuallyorientedbusinesses
(Section67.2540,RSMo);billboardadvertisements forsexually
orientedbusinesses(Section 226.531);andwheresexuallyoriented
businessesmaybelocated(Section573.010).
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthisbillrespondstogrowing
concernsaboutprotectinginnocentchildren. Theconcernfor
protectinginnocentchildrenisauniversal,non-partisanissue.
Freedomtobeachildandtobeaffordedsafedevelopmentis
important. Thisbillappliesthelawsequally. Dragperformances
areinappropriateforchildren,andthisbillprevents
inappropriateshowsandatmospheresforchildren.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Baker;Cassie
BradleyVaughn.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythatthisbillcaptures
andpunishesbehaviorthatisnotsexualinnature.Drag
performersarenotpredators,butareinsteadmembersofthe
community. Thisbillgoestoofarandistooill-defined,
ultimatelycapturingmoreactivitythanisintendedandcanbe known.EconomicstagnationinMissouriisinpartduetothe
stigmaandbeliefMissouriisarestrictivestatethatfailsat
beinginclusive. DragperformancehasbeenpresentinMissourifor
thelast50years,anddragperformersknowtoactappropriately
aroundchildren. Dragisnotinherentlysexualbut,drag
performershavebeensubjecttotraumaandviolence. Thisbill
doesnotprotectchildren,butinsteadpunishesappropriate,non-
sexualconduct.
TestifyinginpersonagainstthebillwereMelodyOrtloff;Patrick
ThomasMann;VanessaWellbery,AdvocatesofPlannedParenthoodof
theSt.LouisRegionandSouthwestMissouri;DebiJackson;Kerri
Schafer;Rev.MikeAngell;StacyCay;ProChoiceMissouri;Aric
McCarty(MayO'Naise);AshleyQuinn,NationalAvenueChristian
Church;BrandonMichaelBanks,NclusionInc.DBANclusionPlus;
ConnorThompson;DavidHall/KayceeAdams;FeleciaKempen;Jordan
Braxton;LukeJames;ShawnStokes;ChristineHyman;SusanHalla,
Transparent;DakotaAllen;JamieCayley;JenniferHill,YesHoney
Studio;CoreyHyman;TomJackson;DanielleMeert;JamesThurow;
StrubyK.Struble;andRachlAguirre.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.