Senate Approves Location Restrictions for Adult Businesses

Nashville, Tenn. – The Tennessee Senate unanimously passed legislation on Thursday that will place tougher restrictions on adult-oriented establishments.  The bill, Senate Bill 1263, was brought by State Sen. Tim Burchett (R-Knoxville).

The bill prohibits adult-oriented establishments from locating within 1,000 feet of a child care facility, a school, a public park, a residence, or a place of worship. 

“Reports have proven that these type of businesses can have negative effects on the neighborhoods in which they are located,” said Burchett.  “We simply want to make sure that families have safe, nurturing communities in which they can raise their children.”

Tennessee law already defines adult-oriented establishment as any commercial establishment, business or service “that offers, as its principal or predominant stock or trade, sexually-oriented material, devices, or paraphernalia or specified sexual activities, or any combination or form thereof, whether printed, filmed, recorded or live and that restricts or purports to restrict admission to adults or to any class of adults.”

The House companion bill will be heard in the Local Government Subcommittee on Wednesday. The bill will have to pass the House and be signed by the Governor before becoming law.

###