HomeMy WebLinkAboutO-1999-2313
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ORDINANCE NO. 99- 2313
AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING ARTICLE III, "TAXI DANCING", OF CHAPTER 90, OF
THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE, TEXAS, RELATING TO
THE PRESENCE OF MINORS IN PUBLIC DANCE HALLS AND THEIR DANCING FOR
COMPENSATION; MAKING VARIOUS FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATING TO
THE SUBJECT; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING THAT ANY PERSON
VIOLATING THE TERMS OF THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE PUNISHABLE BY A FINE
NOT TO EXCEED FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($500.00) FOR EACH OFFENSE;
PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION OF THE CAPTION OF THIS ORDINANCE; FINDING
COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE
DATE HEREOF.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE:
Section 1. The City Council of the City of La Porte adopts Article III, "Taxi
Dancing", of Chapter 90, "Entertainment", of the Code of Ordinances of the City of La
Porte, to read as follows, to-wit:
"Sec. 90-80. Definitions.
Minor shall mean a person under the age of 18 years whose disabilities as
a minor have not been removed by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Public Dance means any dance or ball to which admission can be had by
payment of a fee, or by the purchase, possession or presentation of a ticket
or token, or in which a charge is made for caring for clothing, or any other
dance to which the public generally may gain admission with the payment
of a fee directly or indirectly, or without payment of a fee.
Public Dance Hall means any room, place, space or building where a public
dance is held or conducted.
Sec. 90-81. Taxi dancing with minors prohibited.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any licensee or operator of a public dance
hall to suffer or permit a minor to engage in the activities commonly known
as 'taxi dancing', 'dollar dancing' or 'pony dancing', or the like, wherein any
person accepts, agrees to accept or solicits any cash, benefit or other thing
of monetary value for the privilege of dancing with a minor.
(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to offer, confer or agree to
confer any cash, benefit or other thing of monetary value to any person for
the privilege of dancing with a minor.
Ordinance No. 99-
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(c) It shall be unlawful for the minor or any other person to solicit,
accept or agree to accept any cash, benefit or other thing of monetary value
from any person for the privilege of dancing with a minor.
(d) The provisions of this section shall apply without regard to
whether (1) the minor is an employee, agent or contractor of the public
dance hall or is merely present in the public dance hall; (2) the cash, benefit
or other thing of monetary value is solicited or accepted by the licensee or
operator, the minor or any other person; and (3) the cash, benefit or other
thing of monetary value is solicited or accepted exclusively for the dancing
privilege or for food, beverage or other services or merchandise with which
the dancing privilege is also provided."
Section 2. That violations of Sections 90-80 or 90-81 of the Code of Ordinances,
La Porte, Texas, as adopted in Section 1 of this Ordinance, are punishable by a fine of up
to Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) as provided in Appendix B - Fines of the Code of
.
Ordinances of the City of La Porte.
Section 3. That, if any provision, section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase
of this Ordinance, or the application of same to any person or set of circumstances is for
any reason held to be unconstitutional, void or invalid, the validity of the remaining
portions of this Ordinance or their application to other persons or sets of circumstances
shall not be affected thereby, it being the intent of the City Council in adopting this
Ordinance that no portion hereof or provision or regulation contained herein shall become
inoperative or fail by reason of any unconstitution-ality, voidness or invalidity of any other
portion hereof, and all provisions of this Ordinance are declared to be severable for that
purpose.
Section 4. The City Council officially finds, determines, recites, and declares that
a sufficient written notice of the date, hour, place and subject of this meeting of the City
Council was posted at a place convenient to the public at the City Hall of the City for the
Ordinance No. 99- 23.
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time required by law preceding this meeting, as required by the Open Meetings Law,
Chapter 551, Texas Government Code; and that this meeting has been open to the public
as required by law at all times during which this ordinance and the subject matter thereof
has been discussed, considered and formally acted upon. The City Council further
ratifies, approves and confirms such written notice and the contents and posting thereof.
Section 5. This Ordinance shall be effective from and after its passage and
approval, and publication of its caption, as provided by law.
PASSED AND APPROVED, this 8th day of February, 1999.
CITY OF LA PORTE
By: 1LdlJ?~~
orman L. alon -
Mayor
ATTEST:
~~a.~
art a A. Gillett
City Secretary