87R4666 DRS-D
 
  By: Beckley H.B. No. 2054
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to municipal and county regulation of sex parlors,
  including the imposition of civil and criminal penalties.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 243, Local Government Code, is amended
  by designating Sections 243.001 through 243.011 as Subchapter A and
  adding a subchapter heading to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER A. SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESSES
         SECTION 2.  Section 243.001, Local Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 243.001.  PURPOSE; EFFECT ON OTHER REGULATORY
  AUTHORITY. (a) The legislature finds that the unrestricted
  operation of certain sexually oriented businesses may be
  detrimental to the public health, safety, and welfare by
  contributing to the decline of residential and business
  neighborhoods and the growth of criminal activity. The purpose of
  this subchapter [chapter] is to provide local governments a means
  of remedying this problem.
         (b)  This subchapter [chapter] does not diminish the
  authority of a local government to regulate sexually oriented
  businesses with regard to any matters.
         SECTION 3.  Section 243.002, Local Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 243.002.  DEFINITION. In this subchapter [chapter],
  "sexually oriented business" means a sex parlor, nude studio,
  modeling studio, love parlor, adult bookstore, adult movie theater,
  adult video arcade, adult movie arcade, adult video store, adult
  motel, or other commercial enterprise the primary business of which
  is the offering of a service or the selling, renting, or exhibiting
  of devices or any other items intended to provide sexual
  stimulation or sexual gratification to the customer.
         SECTION 4.  Section 243.004, Local Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 243.004.  EXEMPT BUSINESS. The following are exempt
  from regulation under this subchapter [chapter]:
               (1)  a bookstore, movie theater, or video store, unless
  that business is an adult bookstore, adult movie theater, or adult
  video store under Section 243.002;
               (2)  a business operated by or employing a licensed
  psychologist, licensed physical therapist, licensed athletic
  trainer, licensed cosmetologist, or licensed barber engaged in
  performing functions authorized under the license held; or
               (3)  a business operated by or employing a licensed
  physician or licensed chiropractor engaged in practicing the
  healing arts.
         SECTION 5.  Section 243.005, Local Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 243.005.  BUSINESS LICENSED UNDER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE
  CODE: BUSINESS HAVING COIN-OPERATED MACHINES. (a) A business is
  not exempt from regulation under this subchapter [chapter] because
  it holds a license or permit under the Alcoholic Beverage Code
  authorizing the sale or service of alcoholic beverages or because
  it contains one or more coin-operated machines that are subject to
  regulation or taxation, or both, under Chapter 8, Title 132,
  Revised Statutes.
         (b)  A regulation adopted under this subchapter [chapter]
  may not discriminate against a business on the basis of whether the
  business holds a license or permit under the Alcoholic Beverage
  Code or on the basis of whether it contains one or more
  coin-operated machines that are subject to regulation or taxation,
  or both, under Chapter 8, Title 132, Revised Statutes.
         (c)  This subchapter [chapter] does not affect the existing
  preemption by the state of the regulation of alcoholic beverages
  and the alcoholic beverage industry as provided by Section 1.06,
  Alcoholic Beverage Code.
         SECTION 6.  Section 243.007(b), Local Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  The municipal or county regulations adopted under this
  subchapter [chapter] may provide for the denial, suspension, or
  revocation of a license or other permit by the municipality or
  county.
         SECTION 7.  Section 243.008, Local Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 243.008.  INSPECTION. A municipality or county may
  inspect a sexually oriented business to determine compliance with
  this subchapter [chapter] and regulations adopted under this
  subchapter [chapter] by the municipality or county.
         SECTION 8.  Section 243.009, Local Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 243.009.  FEES. A municipality or county may impose
  fees on applicants for a license or other permit issued under this
  subchapter [chapter] or for the renewal of the license or other
  permit. The fees must be based on the cost of processing the
  applications and investigating the applicants.
         SECTION 9.  Section 243.010, Local Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 243.010.  ENFORCEMENT. (a) A municipality or county
  may sue in the district court for an injunction to prohibit the
  violation of a regulation adopted under this subchapter [chapter].
         (b)  A person commits an offense if the person violates a
  municipal or county regulation adopted under this subchapter
  [chapter]. An offense under this subsection is a Class A
  misdemeanor.
         SECTION 10.  Section 243.011, Local Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 243.011.  EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS. This subchapter
  [chapter] does not legalize anything prohibited under the Penal
  Code or other state law.
         SECTION 11.  Subchapter D, Chapter 234, Local Government
  Code, is transferred to Chapter 243, Local Government Code,
  redesignated as Subchapter B, Chapter 243, Local Government Code,
  and amended to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER B [D]. SEX [MASSAGE] PARLORS
         Sec. 243.051  [234.101]. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
               (1)  "Nude" and "sexual contact" have the meanings
  assigned by Section 455.202, Occupations Code.
               (2)  "Sex parlor" ["Massage parlor"] means a business
  establishment that purports to provide [massage] services
  involving physical contact with a customer and that allows:
                     (A)  [a nude person to provide massage services to
  a customer;
                     [(B)] a person to engage in sexual contact for
  compensation; or
                     (B) [(C)]  a person to provide [massage] services
  involving physical contact with a customer in a private or
  semiprivate location while nude or wearing [in] clothing intended
  to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person.
               [(2) "Nude" and "sexual contact" have the meanings
  assigned by Section 455.202, Occupations Code.]
         Sec. 243.052  [234.102]. AUTHORITY TO REGULATE. To promote
  public health, safety, and welfare, the governing body of a
  municipality by ordinance or the commissioners court of a county by
  order may prohibit or otherwise regulate sex [massage] parlors
  [located in the unincorporated area of the county].
         Sec. 243.053  [234.103]. INJUNCTION. If a sex [massage]
  parlor has previously violated a prohibition or other regulation
  adopted under this subchapter, a district or county attorney may
  bring suit to enjoin the operation of a sex [massage] parlor in
  violation or threatened violation of a prohibition or other
  regulation adopted under this subchapter.
         Sec. 243.054  [234.104]. CIVIL PENALTY. (a) A person who
  violates a prohibition or regulation adopted by a municipality or
  [the] county under this subchapter is liable to the municipality or
  county, as applicable, for a civil penalty of not more than $1,000
  for each violation. Each day a violation continues is considered a
  separate violation for purposes of assessing the civil penalty.
         (b)  A municipality or county may bring suit in a district
  court to recover a civil penalty authorized by Subsection (a).
         Sec. 243.055  [234.105]. CRIMINAL PENALTY. (a) A person
  commits an offense if the person intentionally or knowingly
  operates a sex [massage] parlor in violation of a prohibition or
  regulation adopted under this subchapter [by the commissioners
  court].
         (b)  An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.
         Sec. 243.056  [234.106]. CUMULATIVE EFFECT. Authority
  under this subchapter is cumulative of other authority that a
  county or municipality has to regulate sex [massage] parlors and
  does not limit that other authority.
         Sec. 243.057  [234.107]. EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS. (a) This
  subchapter does not legalize anything prohibited under the Penal
  Code or other state law.
         (b)  A person who is subject to prosecution under this
  section and any other law may be prosecuted under either or both
  laws.
         SECTION 12.  Section 109.57(d), Alcoholic Beverage Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (d)  This section does not affect the authority of a
  governmental entity to regulate, in a manner as otherwise permitted
  by law, the location of:
               (1)  a sex [massage] parlor, nude modeling studio, or
  other sexually oriented business;
               (2)  an establishment that derives 75 percent or more
  of the establishment's gross revenue from the on-premise sale of
  alcoholic beverages; or
               (3)  an establishment that:
                     (A)  derives 50 percent or more of the
  establishment's gross revenue from the on-premise sale of alcoholic
  beverages; and
                     (B)  is located in a municipality or county, any
  portion of which is located not more than 50 miles from an
  international border.
         SECTION 13.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.