If enacted, legislation approved by the state Senate Thursday would provide a series of safety and worker protection to dancers, as well as allow Washington strip clubs to sell alcohol. The bill also created an Adult Entertainer Advisory Committee predominantly made up of current and former dancers, which submitted a report to the Legislature on recommendations of further reforms on the industry. Provisions of the bill passed by the Senate this week are based on those recommendations in large part.
If passed by the House and signed by the governor, the new law would expand training requirements to all club staff, set minimum requirements for clubs to provide security, set limitations on how dancers can be charged and allow strip clubs and other adult venues to apply for a liquor license. Bill sponsor Sen. Passing in a party line vote, some Republicans signaled their support for greater worker protections in the adult entertainment industry but said the bill needed more work.
A similar bill passed the Senate last year but did not come up for a vote in the House. The raids were conducted by the Joint Enforcement Team, a collection of Seattle police officers, firefighters and the state Liquor and Cannabis Board. The law enforcement entities enforced the same regulations in the raids that are elsewhere used to ban strip clubs from obtaining a liquor license. Marko Liias, D-Everett. As a result, none of the 12 remaining strip clubs in Washington serves alcohol.
Despite this prohibition, belligerently drunk patrons are still common because they often drink before coming to the club. Had the club been allowed to apply for a liquor license and served alcohol, she thinks it might have stayed open. Alcohol is only allowed in bars where dancers are required to cover their breasts. Stateline does not serve alcohol, and some nudity is allowed there. But as the economy soured, business dried up.
Since its closure, Ryder has been dancing in Portland, Montana and Idaho to pay her bills. She does not dance in Seattle because the same economic forces impact the west side of the state.
