Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti applauded the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals decision to reject a full circuit review of the Friends of George’s, Inc. v. Steven Mulroy case which challenges Tennessee’s Adult Entertainment Act.
The Adult Entertainment Act, which was signed into law last year by Governor Bill Lee, prohibits “adult-oriented performances that are harmful to minors,” from being performed in public or areas accessible to children.
“Adult cabaret entertainment” is defined by the law as performances that feature “topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers, strippers, male or female impersonators, or similar entertainers.”
Upon challenged in court by the Memphis-based LGBTQ theater company called Friends of George’s, the law was briefly barred from being enforced in Shelby County; however, in July, the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the lower court’s ruling and allowed the law to take effect.
The plaintiffs in the case, Friends of George’s, soon after filed a petition for rehearing with the Court of Appeals, which was formally rejected on Friday.
“The original panel has reviewed the petition for rehearing and concludes that the issues raised in the petition were fully considered upon the original submission and decision of the case,” Friday’s notice from the Court said.
Skrmetti applauded the decision by the Court of Appeals, saying, “We fought hard to defend Tennessee’s Adult Entertainment Act, and I am glad that the entire Court of Appeals unanimously declined to rehear the case, preserving Tennessee’s win.”
“There has been a lot of misinformation about the Act’s scope since it became law. Tennessee, home to an incredible community of performers and songwriters, respects the awesome importance of the First Amendment. But the First Amendment allows States to restrict adult entertainment to adult-only spaces,” Skrmetti added.
A first offense for violating Tennessee’s Adult Entertainment Act is classified as a Class A misdemeanor while a second or subsequent offense is a Class E felony.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
