Members of the Horry County Council:
As a former Myrtle Beach resident, I have recently read about the proposed Ordinance 29-13, regulating adult entertainment venues in the county. If I may be so bold, I would like to offer a few amendments to the ordinance. I propose that all private viewing booths be removed from adult book and video stores, requiring all viewing of adult materials to take place in full view of store employees. I also propose that the conduct regulations in gentlemen's clubs be amended to strictly prohibit all touching anywhere on the premises and that the dancers be required to keep their bikini tops or lingerie on at all times while outside the dressing room. Simply put, "If you can't wear it on the beach, you can't wear it in the club." I also propose that everyone who applies for an Adult Entertainment License be required to pass a criminal background check (and possibly, random drug testing at the host establishment's expense) before receiving a license.
I see two challenges to the ordinance as it stands now. First, every adult entertainment venue in the county would be in violation of the zoning ordinance. I can predict that every establishment would close its doors within weeks of the ordinance taking effect, putting hundreds of local residents (dancers, waitresses, bouncers, DJs, bartenders, kitchen staff, etc.) out of work. We must find a way to replace the jobs that would be lost. Second, it would stand to reason that such closures would cost Horry County millions of dollars in lost liquor and entertainment tax revenues each year. Once these challenges are properly addressed, you will have my full support of Ordinance 29-13.
Knowing from the experiences of some of my friends and acquaintances, visiting an adult entertainment venue can be just as addictive as can visiting a casino. The Illinois Gaming Board, the state agency that regulates casinos, racetracks, off-track betting parlors, and the Illinois Lottery, has a "Self-Exclusion Program' where individuals with a gambling problem can voluntarily sign up to be permanently barred from all gambling establishments in Illinois. I propose that a similar program be established for the adult entertainment industry, to be created and administered by an "Horry County Adult Entertainment Commission" (known hereafter in this proposal as the "Commission"). The Commission would be charged with issuing the aforementioned licenses, enforcing relevant laws, and administering the "Self-Exclusion Program" that I propose in the following paragraph.
Under my proposal, every licensed adult entertainment venue in Horry County would be required to subscribe to a special database and to purchase a special card reader. When a doorman at a gentleman's club checks an ID, he would run it through the card reader or enter the information manually into the computer to check the person against the database of those who have been barred from all adult entertainment venues. If a match turns up in the system, then the doorman would be required by law to deny admission and to notify the police for arrest on criminal trespassing charges. While most people in this database would be those who sign up voluntarily, there would be two ways that someone could be barred involuntarily. First, if an establishment bars someone, be it a customer or an entertainer, for misconduct, then the owner or manager could report the incident to the Commission and have that person barred from all other establishments. Second, those who have ever been convicted, or currently facing charges, of any sexual offense would also be barred from all adult entertainment venues. Adjudication procedures would be established to appeal such involuntary bans. Everyone who works, or applies for employment, at an adult entertainment venue would be checked against the database during the license application process. Those who are in the database would also be prohibited from seeking employment in any adult entertainment venue in Horry County. This would also include any convenience store that sells adult magazines or DVDs.
It is my sincere hope that my proposals will improve the quality of life for all Horry County residents and tourists. I appreciate your opinions regarding my proposals. Thank you for your time and consideration in these matters.
Sincerely,
William Lawless, MBA
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