'Strip Club Tax' Proposed By Tennessee Lawmaker

NASHVILLE, TN -- A Tennessee legislator wants a $2 per customer "strip club tax" to fund a sex-trafficking victims fund.

State Rep. Darren Jernigan, an Old Hickory Democrat, filed a bill requiring that adult-oriented businesses which sell or allow the consumption of alcohol pay $2 for every patron into a fund administered by the Department of Human Services that would "provide services to victims of sex trafficking."

Though the language of the bill - HB1701 - specifically says the clubs do not necessarily have to charge the $2 to their patrons, it is, of course, likely the tax would simply be tacked on to cover charges.

Jernigan told The Tennessean that only a few dozen businesses in the state would be required to pay the tax, but that, nevertheless, good could come from it.

"It’s not going to generate a lot of money because there are 20 or 30 strip joints in the whole state, but it would create some kind of victim fund that would go to the department of human services to run it and not only encourage the organizations out there providing beds but hopefully provide more beds than are out there," he told the paper.

Jernigan conceded also that some of his fellow lawmakers could see the tax as anti-business, but he thinks he may be able to generate support for the measure because of the relatively low amount of the tax.

Currently the bill has no Senate companion nor any other sponsors in the House. A fiscal note - which would estimate the potential revenue from the tax - has not been completed.

Image via Tennessee General Assembly