5501 - Legislative findings and intent.
SUBPART E USES OF PROPERTY Chapter 55. Adult-Oriented Establishments Enactment Note. Subpart E was added October 16, 1996, P.L.696, No.120, eff. 60 days. CHAPTER 55 ADULT-ORIENTED ESTABLISHMENTS Sec. 5501. Legislative findings and intent. 5502. Definitions. 5503. Requirements for adult-oriented establishments. 5504. Liability of operator. 5505. Establishments open for inspection. 5506. Civil action to enjoin or abate violations. 5507. Violation of abatement order or injunction. 5508. Penalty. 5509. Existing remedies preserved. Enactment Note. Chapter 55 was added October 16, 1996, P.L.696, No.120, eff. 60 days. § 5501. Legislative findings and intent. (a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds as follows: (1) There are within this Commonwealth a number of adult-oriented establishments which require special regulation by law and supervision by public safety agencies in order to protect and preserve the health, safety and welfare of patrons of these establishments, as well as the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of this Commonwealth. (2) Statistics and studies performed in a substantial number of communities in this Commonwealth, in the United States and by the State of Delaware indicate that: (i) large numbers of persons, primarily male, frequent adult-oriented establishments, especially those which provide closed booths, cubicles, studios and rooms for the private viewing of so-called adult motion pictures, videotapes or live entertainment or a combination of motion pictures, videotapes and live entertainment; (ii) the closed booths, cubicles, studios and rooms and holes in partitions between booths, cubicles, studios and rooms have been used by patrons, clients or customers of adult-oriented establishments for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts; (iii) male and female prostitutes have been known to frequent the establishments in order to provide sex for hire to the patrons, clients or customers within the booths, cubicles and rooms; (iv) doors, curtains, blinds and/or other closures installed in or on the entrances or exits, or both, of the booths, cubicles, studios and rooms which are closed while the booths, cubicles, studios and rooms are in use encourage patrons using the booths, cubicles, studios and rooms to engage in sexual acts in the closures and through holes in partitions between the closures with prostitutes, patrons, clients or customers, thereby promoting and encouraging prostitution and the commission of sexual acts which result in the direct exchange of bodily fluids which put the participants at high risk for contracting communicable diseases, including AIDS, and which cause blood, semen and urine to be deposited on the floors or walls, or both, of the booths, cubicles, studios and rooms, which deposits could prove detrimental to the health and safety of other persons who may come in contact with such deposits; and (v) the reasonable regulation and supervision of such adult-oriented establishments tend to discourage sexual acts and prostitution and thereby promote the health, safety and welfare of the patrons, clients and customers of these establishments. (3) The continued unregulated operation of such adult- oriented establishments, including, without limitation, those specifically cited in paragraph (1), is and would be detrimental to the general health, safety and welfare of the citizens of this Commonwealth. (4) The Constitution of Pennsylvania grants to the General Assembly power, especially police power, to enact reasonable legislation to regulate and supervise adult- oriented establishments in order to protect the public health, safety and welfare. (b) Intent.--It is not the intent of the General Assembly in enacting this legislation to deny to any person rights of speech protected by the Constitution of the United States or the Constitution of Pennsylvania, or both, nor is it the intent of the General Assembly to impose by this chapter any additional limitations or restrictions on the contents of any communicative materials, including sexually oriented films, videotapes, books and other materials. Further, by enacting this legislation, the General Assembly does not intend to deny or restrict the rights of any adult to obtain or view, or both, any sexually oriented materials protected by the Constitution of the United States or the Constitution of Pennsylvania, or both, nor does it intend to restrict or deny any constitutionally protected rights that distributors or exhibitors of sexually oriented materials may have to sell, distribute or exhibit these materials.