Several bills passed by the West Virginia Senate Wednesday aimed to protect children from inappropriate situations.
Senate Bill 1083 focuses on keeping males out of locker rooms reserved for females. It increases the penalties for indecent exposure to minors and requires sex offender registry for multiple offenses.
Senate Bill 590 makes it a criminal offense to engage in adult cabaret performances on public property or in places that could be viewed by a minor. Much of the discussion centered on defining terms like go-go dancers and clarifying what, exactly, appeals to prurient interests.
There were, at times, more questions than answers.
“There’s dance teams at WVU and Marshall. I mean, would this fit into the concept of go-go dancers that we have in the bill?” asked Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Marion.
“Is it simply a go-go dancer, or is it a go-go dancer that appeals to the prurient interest?” asked Sen. Tom Willis, R-Berkeley. “Is that, like, what anybody’s kink is, or what turns them on? I mean, what is the prurient interest? How do we define that?”
Willis provided dictionary definitions, but ultimately said he felt judges could make that call.
“I urge passage of this bill on behalf of the children that should not be exposed to this type of adult entertainment,” Willis said.
The bill passed 31-2 and moves to the House of Delegates.
Fairness West Virginia Executive Director Andrew Schneider said instead of fixing the real problems facing our community, Senate Republicans are blaming everything on LGBTQ+ people.
“Instead of helping the people of McDowell County get clean drinking water, they’re planning to arrest drag queens. Instead of stopping our schools from closing, they want to lock up innocent transgender people who use a locker room,” Schneider said.
He called the bills dangerous.
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