BRISTOL, R.I. (WPRI) — A just lately filed memo from Bristol city solicitors reveals they’re advising the city council towards amending the definition of “adult entertainment.”

Last month, resident Robert Botelho filed a petition requesting the council to broaden the language of the definition to incorporate, “the act of entertaining with or without music by dancing, or behaving in a manner consistent with mimicking sexual action or seduction with or without the physical contact of others with the intent to amuse, please, sexually stimulate or provide sexual gratification for viewing pleasures of legal adults within or outside of the establishment.”

A Bristol brewery that had just lately hosted a drag present and the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island (ACLU) fought the petition as soon as they obtained phrase it might seem in a city council assembly earlier this month.

In a letter addressed to the Bristol Town Council, the ACLU stated the petition is “inappropriately aimed at LGBTQ+ individuals.”

ACLU Executive Director Steven Brown additionally wrote that the proposed language “is broad enough to have the Footloose-ian effect” and would in flip carry strict laws to any form of leisure in Bristol.

At the March 1 assembly, Botelho argued he filed the petition lengthy earlier than the drag present occurred, and his request didn’t particularly point out drag exhibits.

“The notion that this is barring any [transgender] sex show, this is not that,” he informed councilors on March 1. “If you wanted such activity to take place, you could work with the town solicitor to define and permit that.”

Last week, Assistant Town Solicitor Amy Goins despatched a memorandum to city councilors, saying that the present definition of grownup leisure is “narrowly tailored and leaves very little room
for guessing what activity falls within this definition.”

“By contrast, Mr. Botelho’s proposed language contains the ambiguous phrase ‘consistent with mimicking sexual action or seduction,’” Goins added.

Goins famous how in a March 1 city council assembly, Vice Chairwoman Mary Parella said the definition “could conceivably extend to performances of cheerleading squads,” and the way Brown stated, “a vast array of classical and contemporaneous arts performances would suddenly be deemed adult entertainment’ on par with nude dancing in a bar.”

“We agree with this assertion and interpretation,” Goins wrote.

While the choice is finally left as much as the council to amend the definition or not, Goins stated solicitors suggested towards altering the definition as proposed.

“It is our opinion that Mr. Botelho’s proposed definition of adult entertainment would likely be invalidated by a reviewing court in the event of a lawsuit,” Goins wrote. “In that event, the town would also be liable for attorney fees.”

“Further, it is our opinion that the current definition of adult entertainment in the zoning ordinance is sufficient to cover the traditional establishments that municipalities seek to
strictly limit,” she added.

The city council meets at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

While the assembly will probably be obtainable to look at over zoom, the agenda states there will probably be in-person participation solely.