Law to Give Cities More Power to Regulate Nude Clubs

SACRAMENTO —  Gov. Pete Wilson on Monday signed into law a bill by an Orange County lawmaker that attempts to give California cities more power to regulate nude dance clubs.

The measure by Assemblyman Scott Baugh (R-Huntington Beach) goes into effect Jan. 1.

Under the new law, cities can adopt tighter rules on conduct inside the clubs. For instance, city leaders could restrict dancers from direct contact with patrons and require that a stage be better separated from the audience.

But the law does not go as far as Baugh originally envisioned. After strip club employees launched a drive earlier this year to kill the measure, Baugh was pressured by Democrats to water it down.

It now exempts any clubs that are considered theaters, which enjoy constitutional free speech protections. Jeff Sauls, a Baugh spokesman, said there are about 25 clubs in California that will be protected by that exemption.