Tag Archives: sexually oriented businesses

Here comes another referendum no one will understand

Posted on June 12, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Be careful what petitions you sign, that’s my advice. A political action committee is launching a petition drive Sunday aimed at limiting how much city contractors and vendors can contribute to municipal candidates, marking the start of a month-long effort … Continue reading →

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The history of SOB laws in Houston

Posted on November 25, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

From strip clubs to robot brothels, we’ve come a long way. Somewhat sheepishly, the city official tried to explain why he had spent more than $2,000 in public funds entertaining out-of-town clients at a topless bar. “They wanted to go … Continue reading →

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Harris County makes its robot brothel ban official

Posted on October 28, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We can all sleep more soundly now. Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday unanimously adopted new rules to prevent so-called “robot brothels” from opening and more strictly regulate sexually oriented businesses in unincorporated areas. The county already had been revising … Continue reading →

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Harris County to follow suit on robot brothels

Posted on October 14, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

If it’s good for Houston, or not good for Houston, I suppose… Harris County commissioners are prepared to ban so-called robot brothels, just as Houston did last week. Harris County already bans live sex acts at any place of business. … Continue reading →

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Please don’t spy on robot brothel customers

Posted on October 4, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

This is ridiculous, and not in the fun and amusing way. Greg Travis, the councilman of District G where a so-called “robot brothel” would be located in Houston, said on Tuesday that patrons visiting the adult business would be recorded … Continue reading →

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Robot sex brothel update

Posted on October 2, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It’s all about the permits. The City of Houston ordered a Canadian company called KinkySDollS to stop the construction of a so-called robot brothel for not having the appropriate permit. The city, which told the Chronicle this week that they … Continue reading →

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We need to talk about the robot sex brothel

Posted on September 29, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I can’t avoid it any longer. In a surprise reveal last week, a Toronto businessman announced that he would be opening the nation’s first robot sex brothel in Houston. The business, set to open its doors later this month or … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Are you nostalgic for some strip club litigation?

Posted on June 8, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Then this is your lucky day. The legal fight over the striptease business in Houston has heated up, again. Two topless bars are suing the city of Houston over a controversial, years-old legal settlement they say unfairly hampers business at … Continue reading →

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Supreme Court re-upholds strip club tax

Posted on November 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Technically, they declined to re-review it, but practically speaking I figure it’ll amount to the same thing. The Texas Supreme Court on Friday declined to review whether a $5-per-patron fee at live nude entertainment clubs is an occupation tax in … Continue reading →

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It was a bad week for the strip clubs

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Another adverse court ruling. A state appeals court on Friday upheld the legality of the state’s so-called “pole tax” on nude entertainment clubs, the latest decision in a six-year battle by Texas officials to collect the $5-per-customer fee from more … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

More reactions to the city’s settlement with the strip clubs

Posted on December 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Not everyone likes it. Bob Sanborn, CEO of the nonprofit organization Children at Risk, and other advocates against human trafficking said on Wednesday that they should have been consulted before a deal was struck. Mayor Annise Parker, who brokered the … Continue reading →

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Evaluating the strip club settlement

Posted on December 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Some interesting feedback on the city’s recent legal settlement with area strip clubs. South Texas College of Law professor Matthew Festa said the payments are not his central concern, noting cities often condition building permits on a business planting trees … Continue reading →

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County settles with Treasures

Posted on February 2, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It’s over, at least for now. When city of Houston lawyers settled a public nuisance lawsuit against Treasures last December, Harris County attorneys continued to pursue the jointly filed case, saying they needed more assurances from the strip club that … Continue reading →

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San Antonio strip club lawsuit

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

If you’re a lawyer representing strip clubs these days, you sure don’t lack for business. More than a dozen strip clubs have sued the city of San Antonio over amendments to ordinances requiring entertainers to wear bikinis, claiming the changes … Continue reading →

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City settles with Treasures, county still on the case

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Noted for the record. Prominent strip club Treasures, hauled into court as an alleged public nuisance and haven for crime by city and county attorneys seven months ago, has agreed to put $100,000 in a nuisance abatement fund as part … Continue reading →

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Council adopts strip club fee

Posted on June 29, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Here it comes. Seeking a solution to the bedeviling problem of untested rape evidence that is in some cases decades old, council imposed a $5-per-customer fee on strip clubs Wednesday so it can buy speedier lab work. That simple solution, … Continue reading →

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Council defers on strip club fee

Posted on June 21, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Tagged for a week. Consideration of a $5-per-head fee on customers of strip clubs to pay for reducing the city’s backlog of untested rape kits has been delayed for a week. Council members Melissa Noriega and Al Hoang both tagged … Continue reading →

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Budget amendment time

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Now that Mayor Parker has formally submitted her proposed budget for fiscal year 2013, it’s time for Council members to submit their amendments for consideration. I’m going to start at the bottom of the story with the two proposals that … Continue reading →

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SCOTUS declines to hear strip club tax case

Posted on January 29, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The end of the road for this particular bit of litigation. The U.S. Supreme Court will not take up the adult entertainment industry’s lawsuit against the state’s $5-per-patron strip club tax, justices decided Monday. “Texas is now one step closer … Continue reading →

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The strip club tax is on the table

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Among the things that conference committee members will be discussing as they try to finalize the budget is a reworking of the strip club tax that was first passed in 2007. This session, while awaiting a ruling on the case … Continue reading →

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The impending budget cuts will affect you in ways you don’t realize

Posted on November 6, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a bit from that big Chron story last weekend about Houston’s ongoing battle against sexually oriented businesses that masquerade as massage parlors and how the budget debacle will make that battle a little harder for the city. Regulating massage … Continue reading →

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City takes aim at more SOBs

Posted on May 24, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Eight months ago, the city of Houston succeeded in closing down a strip club, its first such victory after finally getting a favorable verdict in the lawsuit to overturn the 1997 ordinance that more strictly regulated sexually-oriented businesses. They’re now … Continue reading →

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City scores another SOB victory

Posted on April 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

That makes two, and counting. Houston won a major victory Thursday in its efforts to stamp out sex-related businesses that operate near neighborhoods or turn a blind eye to criminal activity in their facilities. The city won a unanimous verdict … Continue reading →

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More on the alternate strip club tax

Posted on April 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

After publishing about the alternate strip club tax that passed the House yesterday, HB982, I had some correspondence with the offices of Rep. Ellen Cohen and Rep. Senfronia Thompson about the revenue estimates, which I noted seemed quite divergent. Rep. … Continue reading →

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Alternate strip club fee bill passes House

Posted on April 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I didn’t realize there was another bill dealing with the strip club fee out there, but there is, and it passed in the House. Sexually oriented businesses, including adult video stores and nude dancing clubs, would pay a 10 percent … Continue reading →

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