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For some reason, lobbyists at the Center for Arizona Policy would like anyone running for a seat in the Legislature this year to tell the group whether they support banning the “touching or tipping” of strippers.
The surveys, which usually are a good indication of the CAP morality cops’ agenda for the next legislative session, are updated every two years.
In 2010, one of the questions on the survey asked whether the candidate supported or opposed “[r]egulating sexually oriented businesses to the fullest extent possible under the law.”
Not surprisingly, that led to Republican state Representative Steve Court introducing a bill last session to regulate strip clubs and the so-called “adult-oriented businesses.”
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Court’s bill would have banned alcohol and private rooms from these establishments, regulated the size of stages, and redefined the terms “nude” and “seminude,” among other changes.
The bill was held from the start — never becoming an actual topic of discussion — and Court admitted this was the idea of Cathi Herrod and her CAP.
In this year’s survey from CAP, the question’s a little different — a possible indication of what kind of legislation Herrod will convince some sucker to introduce next session.
“Prohibiting touching or tipping dancers and fully nude performances in sexually oriented
businesses,” is what many potential legislators will address, opting to express their support or opposition.
These surveys were due on Friday, but haven’t yet been posted by CAP.
This isn’t the least bit surprising coming from the group, which has an obsession with legislating morality and instituting Christian Right policies, and these laughable bills are sometimes signed into law — 114 and counting.
This year’s survey also includes two other new questions and one amended question.
One asks whether the candidates support lowering the minimum sentencing guidelines for possessing child pornography, and another asks whether the candidates support subsidizing paid time off for public employees to engage in union activities.
The amended question, which previously asked whether candidates supported “[p]rotecting healthcare professionals from being required to provide services that violate their moral or religious beliefs,” no longer includes the word “healthcare.”
For those interested, CAP also scores how much Herrod ass-kissing each legislator engages in, grading both state senators and representatives.
