Professionalizing Michigan strip clubs is goal of Leslie Love's bills

Kathleen Gray | Detroit Free Press

LANSING — State Rep. Leslie Love, D-Detroit, wants to transform the reputation of strip clubs from seedy underground establishments to legitimate, professional businesses.

She’s the lead sponsor of a package of bills that would license and regulate adult entertainment businesses and their employees and dancers.

“People have been dancing since before Jesus. Why does it have to operate in the dark?” Love said.

While individual communities have rules and regulations that govern strip clubs, the only state supervision comes from the Michigan Liquor Control Commission, which regulates businesses with liquor licenses — though some strip clubs don’t serve liquor.

There is not a comprehensive, official directory of how many strip clubs there are in the state, although the Strip Club Search website lists 83 clubs across Michigan.

The bills would establish licenses, fees and regulations for strip clubs, managers, employees and dancers; set guidelines for design requirements in the clubs to ensure adequate areas for the dancers to get ready for performances; set the age limit for dancers at 21 and older, and require that posters advertising helplines for human trafficking are placed in the locker rooms of the businesses.

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Love said she has five strip clubs in her district and a total of eight along 8 Mile in Detroit. They’ve become a part of the fabric of the city and she’s patronized some for both research and a fun night with friends and husbands, as well as $2 lamb chops and inexpensive buckets of beer.

“I basically want to professionalize and standardize the business,” she said “And put protections in place for dancers, club owners and patrons.”

She’s not sure how the package of bills will be received, but all have been introduced by women, including one Republican sponsor.

Other bills introduced in the past two weeks:

HB 5933: Require a background check for renting a firearm at a gun range. Sponsor: Rep. Robert Wittenberg, D-Oak Park.

HB 5934: Provide for up to $26 million for access to medical services at rural hospitals for low-income Michiganders. Sponsor: Rep. Ed Canfield, R-Sebawaing.

HB 5935: Require drain commissioners to select lowest bid for drain projects without having to provide a public explanation of alternatives. Sponsor: Rep. Holly Hughes, R-White River Township.

HB 5936-5937: Allow owners of agricultural land to perform routine maintenance of county drains. Sponsor: Rep. Holly Hughes, R-White River Township.

HB 5938: Prohibit auto insurance companies from increasing premiums for repair claims based on damages from bad road conditions. Sponsor: Rep. John Chirkun, D-Roseville.

HB 5939-5941: Allow local governments to regulate the use of fireworks, including sky lanterns, and limit the authority to place a total ban on the use of fireworks because of weather conditions to the governor. Sponsors: Reps. Jim Lilly, R-Macatawa, John Chirkun, D-Roseville.

HB 5942-5943: Set penalties for threatening a school with a firearm or dangerous weapon as a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Sponsors: Reps. Beau LaFave, R-Iron Mountain, Scott VanSingel, R-Grant.

HB 5944: Allow all municipalities to act jointly to administer and enforce soil erosion standards. Sponsor: Rep. Donna Lasinski, D-Ann Arbor.

HB 5945: Exempt agriculture equipment from locally enforced truck route designations. Sponsor: Rep. Donna Lasinski, D-Ann Arbor.

HB 5946: Create a cystic fibrosis advisory committee. Sponsor: Rep. Abdullah Hammoud, D-Dearborn.

HB 5947: Prohibit the exclusion of commercial weddings or similar events in agricultural zones. Sponsor: Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Charlotte.

HB 5948: Revise the structure of state codes relating to the termination of a limited guardianship of a minor. Sponsor: Rep. Peter Lucido, R-Shelby Township.

HB 5949: Provide civil, criminal and administrative immunity for people who report the financial exploitation of vulnerable adults. Sponsor: Rep. Peter Lucido, R-Shelby Township.

HB 5950-5952: Provide for procedures to compel township board members to attend township meetings. Sponsors: Reps. Steve Marino, R-Mt. Clemens, Jeff Yaroch, R-Richmond

HB 5953-5954: Expand requirements to report the death of a newborn after a mother surrenders the child at a designated safe spot to give up babies. Sponsor: Rep. Bronna Kahle, R-Adrian.

HB 5955-5965: Limit the ability of local units of government from enforcing or imposing occupational fees or licensing requirements. Sponsors: Reps. James Lower, R-Cedar Lake, Triston Cole, R-Mancelona, Thomas Albert, R-Lowell, Jason Wentworth, R-Farwell, Lee Chatfield, R-Levering, Jim Lilly, R-Macatawa, Julie Calley, R-Portland.

HB 5966: Establish and fund a grant program for school safety measures and student mental health programs. Sponsor: Rep. Aaron Miller, R-Sturgis.

HB 5967-5968: Establish mandatory reporting by education employees of credible threats of violence against a school. Sponsor: Rep. Robert Kosowski, D-Westland.

HB 5969-5971: Create an income tax credit for expenses incurred to repair body damage to vehicles that can be attributed to bad roads. Sponsors: Reps. Adam Zemke, D-Ann Arbor, Tim Greimel, D-Auburn Hills, Scott Dianda, D-Calumet.

HB 5972-5979: Provide for licensing, fees and excise taxes and design requirements for adult entertainment businesses, dancers and managers. Post signs on human trafficking helplines in adult entertainment locker rooms and establish legal age of employment for dancers. Sponsors: Reps. Leslie Love, D-Detroit, Stephanie Chang, D-Detroit, Cara Clemente, D-Lincoln Park, Erika Geiss, D-Taylor, LaTanya Garrett, D-Detroit, Holly Hughes, R-White River Township.

HB 5980: Include step-siblings in the definition of sibling in the juvenile code. Sponsor: Rep. Vanessa Guerra, D-Bridgeport.

HB 5981: Prohibit exclusionary clauses in no-fault auto insurance. Sponsor: Rep. Patrick Green, D-Warren.

HB 5982: Prohibit a person from trying to prevent reporting of alleged crimes to a Title IX coordinator. Sponsor: Rep. Sara Cambensy, D-Marquette.

HB 5983: Create a rare disease advisory council. Sponsor: Rep. Jim Tedder, R-Clarkston.

HB 5984: Require annual inspections of all public and non-public schools for safety concerns. Sponsor: Rep. Klint Kesto, R-Commerce Township.

HB 5985: Modify the Michigan indigent defense commission. Sponsor: Rep. Robert VerHeulen, R-Walker.

HB 5986: Provide compensation to victims for towing and storage fees for a stolen automobile. Sponsor: Rep. Peter Lucido, R-Shelby Township.

HB 5987: Waive gun licence application fee for retired members of the armed forces. Sponsor: Rep. Michael McCready, R-Birmingham.

HB 5988-5989: Waive fines and costs for failure to produce a boater’s safety certificate if an electronic copy of the certificate is produced before the citation appearance date. Sponsors: Reps. Beau LaFave, R-Iron Mountain, Joseph Bellino, R-Monroe.

HB 5990: Repeal reporting requirements under the firefighters training council. Sponsor: Rep. Pamela Hornberger, R-Chesterfield Township.

HB 5991: Exempt seasonal and temporary docks owned and used by a householder from personal property taxes. Sponsor: Rep. Roger Hauck, R-Mt. Pleasant.

HB 5992: Establish election signatures’ forgery as a chargeable offense. Sponsor: Rep. Steve Marino, R-Mt. Clemens.

HB 5993-5995-6007: Repeal certain reporting requirements under several state laws dealing with insect, pest and plant diseases; veterans’ right to employment services; grade A milk; community corrections; Michigan school for the blind; competition in the small employer carrier health market; Michigan fireworks safety; food stamp distribution; motor fuels quality; income taxes; DNA identification profiling system; Michigan Capitol committee. Sponsor: Rep. Steve Marino, R-Mt. Clemens, Brandt Iden, R-Kalamazoo, Julie Alexander, R-Hanover, Jeffrey Noble, R-Plymouth, Michele Hoitenga, R-Manton, Beau LaFave, R-Iron Mountain, Steve Johnson, R-Wayland Township, Sue Allor, R-Wolverine, Daire Rendon, R-Lake City, Roger Hauck, R-Mt. Pleasant, James Lower, R-Cedar Lake.

HB 5994: Provide training requirements for the operation of a personal watercraft. Sponsor: Rep. Michael Webber, R-Rochester Hills.

Senate bills

SB 984: Clarify the 2016 amendments to video rental privacy statute. Sponsor: Sen. Dave Hildenbrand, R-Lowell.

SB 985: Exempt automobile club contracts from the requirements of the insurance code. Sponsor: Sen. Joe Hune, R-Gregory.

SB 986-987: Modify the requirement of prior authorization for certain prescription drugs. Sponsor: Sen. Dave Hildenbrand, R-Lowell.

SB 988: Eliminate the sunset on administrative rate changes to foster care services. Sponsor: Sen. Peter MacGregor, R-Rockford.

SB 989: Create the appropriations bill that provides for capital outlay projects for 2018-19 fiscal year. Sponsor: Sen. Darwin Booher, R-Evart.

SB 990: Require that school districts consult with local law enforcement to adopt building plans before construction or major renovation of a school building. Sponsor: Sen. Margaret O’Brien, R-Portage.

SB 991: Require biannual update to emergency contact information for students. Sponsor: Sen. Dale Zorn, R-Ida.

SB 992-994: Sunset and repeal the health insurance claims assessment, which partially funds Medicaid expansion. Sponsors: Sens. Kenneth Horn, R-Frankenmuth, Peter MacGregor, R-Rockford, Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake.

SB 995: Clarify the membership and duties of local wetland mitigation boards. Sponsor: Sen. Mike Green, R-Mayville.

SB 996-999: Authorize recognition of public notary acts performed outside the state. Sponsors: Sens. Wayne Schmidt, R-Traverse City, Peter MacGregor, R-Rockford, Curtis Hertel, R-East Lansing.

SB 1000-1011: Repeal some reporting requirements for Department of Natural Resources; foster parents; civil conservation corps endowment fund; agriculture products; crops and stocks; pet shops; right to farm; food service establishments; agriculture weights and measures; corrections; transportation; aeronautics commission. Sponsors: Sens. Jim Stamas, R-Midland, Peter MacGregor, R-Rockford, Tom Casperson, R-Escanaba, Wayne Schmidt, R-Traverse City, Marty Knollenberg, R-Troy, Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, Dale Zorn, R-Ida, Margaret O’Brien, R-Portage, Vincent Gregory, D-Southfield, Mike Kowall, R-White Lake.

SB 1012: Modify the time to notify an elected official who is the subject of a recall petition. Sponsor: Sen. David Robertson, R-Grand Blanc.

SB 1013: Modify the eligibility for a tax related to the registration plates for a fleet of vehicles. Sponsor: Sen. Dave Hildenbrand, R-Lowell.

SB 1014: Create an auto insurance fraud prevention authority. Sponsor: Sen. Joe Hune, R-Gregory.

SB 1015: Revise the amount of money the state retains from funds generated through assessments on hospitals. Sponsor: Sen. Dave Hildenbrand, R-Lowell.

SB 1016: Reduce the corporate income tax rate for insurance companies’ gross premiums. Sponsor: Sen. Jim Stamas, R-Midland.

SB 1017: Codify the standard of care owed to people who enter a place of business. Sponsor: Sen. Peter MacGregor, R-Rockford.

SB 1018-1020: Modify the distribution of state funds to community stabilization programs, create the revenue sharing trust fund. Sponsor: Sen. Coleman Young II, D-Detroit.

SB 1021: Create an independent counsel act to take on criminal investigations where the state attorney general has a conflict of interest. Sponsor: Sen. Steven Bieda, D-Warren.

To get more information or to track the progress of bills, go to legisalture.mi.gov

Contact Kathleen Gray: 313-223-4430, kgray99@freepress.com or on Twitter @michpoligal