Iowa cities and counties will have more powers to restrict strip clubs that present a public safety threat under a bill that Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed into law.
House File 2531 was supported by large cities led by Davenport as a follow-up on a similar law covering bars passed in 2022. That earlier law covered only establishments with liquor licenses — allowing adult establishments that allow patrons to bring their own drinks and do not serve alcohol to skirt the added regulations.
Under the new law, which takes effect July 1, cities can ask a court to issue an order restricting the hours of an “adult entertainment establishment” and prohibiting the consumption of alcohol on the property if it presents a public safety nuisance.
Davenport Police Chief Jeff Bladel said the city has dealt with large parties in the parking lots of strip clubs, which can turn violent and lead to police calls.
“Every level of disturbance that you can think, we were dealing with,” he said. “Night shift, we're sending two officers to respond to a disturbance call, trying to deal with a crowd of 150. They just kept on going every weekend.”
There have been two shootings at Déjá Vu Showgirls, a strip club in Davenport, in the last three years. Samuel Wires Jr., 35, was shot and killed in October 2021. Another man, 33, was seriously wounded there in an April 2022 shooting, police said.
Déjá Vu management said at the time the people holding the parking lot parties were not associated with the business.
Bladel said the disturbances have become less frequent recently, but he said the law gives the city another tool to respond to them.
“We needed teeth to be able to, if needed, go after the businesses in that nuisance sense and take some sanctions to tamp down the issues that we’re having,” he said.
A public safety nuisance that is grounds for regulating the establishment could include any of the following that takes place at the establishment, in the parking lot or in adjacent areas:
Upon filing a lawsuit, cities can seek a temporary injunction from the court to limit an establishment’s closing time to 10 p.m. and prohibit alcohol consumption on the premises.
If a trial is held and the court determines the strip club presents a public safety nuisance, the court will be able to temporarily or completely shut down the establishment for up to two years, change its business practices or require it to pay a bond.
Rep. Mike Vondran, a Davenport Republican who floor managed the bill, said it was an important development for local law enforcement.
“This will allow local law enforcement the necessary supports to better serve communities and provide for public safety,” he said in an email to the Quad-City Times.
Bladel said the city does not have plans to use the new powers immediately to restrict any business in town. He said having the option will allow law enforcement to better work with the businesses to enforce safety without asking for a court injunction.
“We’re not looking to regulate, we’re not looking to (ruin) anybody’s business,” Bladel said. “But what we are looking for is when it rises to the level of public safety, and the issues are so high, that we have the ability to say, ‘Hey, when we’re telling you to knock it off, we definitely have the ability to throw some teeth in there and work with some sanctions potentially.’”
www.thegazette.com
House File 2531 was supported by large cities led by Davenport as a follow-up on a similar law covering bars passed in 2022. That earlier law covered only establishments with liquor licenses — allowing adult establishments that allow patrons to bring their own drinks and do not serve alcohol to skirt the added regulations.
Under the new law, which takes effect July 1, cities can ask a court to issue an order restricting the hours of an “adult entertainment establishment” and prohibiting the consumption of alcohol on the property if it presents a public safety nuisance.
Davenport Police Chief Jeff Bladel said the city has dealt with large parties in the parking lots of strip clubs, which can turn violent and lead to police calls.
“Every level of disturbance that you can think, we were dealing with,” he said. “Night shift, we're sending two officers to respond to a disturbance call, trying to deal with a crowd of 150. They just kept on going every weekend.”
There have been two shootings at Déjá Vu Showgirls, a strip club in Davenport, in the last three years. Samuel Wires Jr., 35, was shot and killed in October 2021. Another man, 33, was seriously wounded there in an April 2022 shooting, police said.
Déjá Vu management said at the time the people holding the parking lot parties were not associated with the business.
Bladel said the disturbances have become less frequent recently, but he said the law gives the city another tool to respond to them.
“We needed teeth to be able to, if needed, go after the businesses in that nuisance sense and take some sanctions to tamp down the issues that we’re having,” he said.
A public safety nuisance that is grounds for regulating the establishment could include any of the following that takes place at the establishment, in the parking lot or in adjacent areas:
- A person fired a gun
- A person assaulted another person with a dangerous weapon resulting in injury
- A riot took place at least three times
Upon filing a lawsuit, cities can seek a temporary injunction from the court to limit an establishment’s closing time to 10 p.m. and prohibit alcohol consumption on the premises.
If a trial is held and the court determines the strip club presents a public safety nuisance, the court will be able to temporarily or completely shut down the establishment for up to two years, change its business practices or require it to pay a bond.
Rep. Mike Vondran, a Davenport Republican who floor managed the bill, said it was an important development for local law enforcement.
“This will allow local law enforcement the necessary supports to better serve communities and provide for public safety,” he said in an email to the Quad-City Times.
Bladel said the city does not have plans to use the new powers immediately to restrict any business in town. He said having the option will allow law enforcement to better work with the businesses to enforce safety without asking for a court injunction.
“We’re not looking to regulate, we’re not looking to (ruin) anybody’s business,” Bladel said. “But what we are looking for is when it rises to the level of public safety, and the issues are so high, that we have the ability to say, ‘Hey, when we’re telling you to knock it off, we definitely have the ability to throw some teeth in there and work with some sanctions potentially.’”
Iowa cities gain more leverage over nuisance strip clubs
Cities can ask a court to issue an order restricting the hours of an “adult entertainment establishment” and prohibiting the consumption of alcohol there if it presents a public safety nuisance.
www.thegazette.com
