Harris County adopts new SOB rules to preempt 'robot brothels'

Doll from Real Love Sex Dolls, one of the largest sellers of ultra-realistic dolls in the U.S. located in Austin, Texas. >>Here's what you need to know about the KinkySDolls business... Doll from Real Love Sex Dolls, one of the largest sellers of ultra-realistic dolls in the U.S. located in Austin, Texas. >>Here's what you need to know about the KinkySDolls business... Photo: Courtesy Of RLSD LP. / Courtesy Of RLSD LP. Photo: Courtesy Of RLSD LP. / Courtesy Of RLSD LP. Image 1 of / 15 Caption Close Harris County adopts new SOB rules to preempt 'robot brothels' 1 / 15 Back to Gallery

Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday unanimously adopted new rules to prevent so-called "robot brothels" from opening and more strictly regulate sexually oriented businesses in unincorporated areas.

The county already had been revising its sexually oriented business rules, first adopted in 1996, but decided to specifically address lifelike sex dolls for rent after Toronto-based company KinkySdollsS considered opening a Houston branch where patrons could try out human-like "adult love dolls" in private rooms at the shop.

The dolls, unlike their inflatable forebears, are made of synthetic skin and have highly articulated skeletons.

Houston City Council earlier this month amended its sexually oriented business rules include "robot brothels" in its ban on arcades and theaters. City inspectors in September stopped construction on the KinkySdolls storefront at Richmond and Chimney Rock saying the project lacked proper permits.

No company has expressed interest in opening such an establishment in Harris County, but court members said they wanted to eliminate that possibility in the future.

KinkySdolls did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

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Assistant County Attorney Celena Vinson said the county largely adopted language Houston's legal department had written.

"We wanted to address the sex robot shop that was allegedly going to open in the city, and wanted to ensure our regulations were consistent with what the city of Houston was doing," Vinson said.

The changes now clearly define sex dolls like the ones advertised by the Toronto firm as "anthropomorphic devices" and prohibit companies from renting them out to customers. Residents of the city and county remain free to purchase such devices for use in their own homes.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez praised the new rules for their clarity, which he said will allow deputies to more aggressively target illicit red light businesses that largely operate in the shadows.

"Before, everything was lumped together and was ambiguous," Gonzalez said. "Now, that's no longer the case."

The sheriff said he is pleased the new rules, which take effect Jan. 1, explicitly ban sexual services at massage parlors and clearly define adult motels, theaters, bookstores and cabarets. A vice squad with seven deputies and a sergeant works closely with Houston police to enforce the regulations.

Harris County has two licensed sexually oriented businesses. Both are strip clubs that fall under the cabaret rules: St. James and Houston Dolls, which are on the same street off Interstate 45 in north Harris County. The permit has expired for a third, Joy of Houston in Jersey Village, and Vinson said the county attorney's office on Wednesday will ask a judge to shut down the club.

She said more county establishments may need to apply for sexually oriented business permits because the new rules aim to prevent topless clubs from masquerading as bikini bars, for example.

"We're hoping this amendment clears up any confusion about whether they need a permit or not," Vinson said. "It's not as arguable to say 'I don't fit into this category.'"

At the previous Commissioners Court meeting Oct. 9, anti-human trafficking advocates said allowing a so-called "robot brothel" to operate where patrons can have sex with lifelike dolls would make trafficking worse.

The rules also now require permitted sexually oriented businesses to post signs displaying an educational information regarding human trafficking, including the National Human Trafficking Hotline.

Zach Despart covers Harris County for the Chronicle. You can follow him on Twitter or email him at zach.despart@chron.com.