S-4003               _______________________________________________

 

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 6588

                        _______________________________________________

 

                                                                            C 152 L 90

 

 

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

 

By Senator Nelson

 

 

Read first time 1/17/90 and referred to Committee on  Law & Justice.

 

 


AN ACT Relating to live performances; and amending RCW 7.48.050, 7.48.052, 7.48.054, 7.48A.010, and 7.48A.020.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

 

        Sec. 1.  Section 1, chapter 127, Laws of 1913 as amended by section 1, chapter 1, Laws of 1979 and RCW 7.48.050 are each amended to read as follows:

          The definitions set forth in this section shall apply throughout this chapter as they relate to moral nuisances.

          (1) "Knowledge" or "knowledge of such nuisance" means having knowledge of the contents and character of the patently offensive sexual conduct which appears in the lewd matter, or knowledge of the acts of lewdness, assignation, or prostitution which occur on the premises.

          (2) "Lewd matter" is synonymous with "obscene matter" and means any matter:

          (a) Which the average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find, when considered as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest; and

          (b) Which depicts or describes patently offensive representations or descriptions of:

          (i) Ultimate sexual acts, normal or perverted, actual or simulated; or

          (ii) Masturbation, excretory functions, or lewd exhibition of the genitals or genital area.

Nothing herein contained is intended to include or proscribe any matter which, when considered as a whole, and in the context in which it is used, possesses serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

          (3) "Lewdness" shall have and include all those meanings which are assigned to it under the common law.

          (4) "Live performance" means any play, show, skit, dance, or other exhibition performed or presented to or before an audience of one or more, in person or by electronic transmission, with or without consideration.

          (5) "Matter" shall mean a live performance, a motion picture film, or a publication or ((both)) any combination thereof.

          (((5))) (6) "Moral nuisance" means a nuisance which is injurious to public morals.

          (((6))) (7) "Motion picture film" shall include any:

          (a) Film or plate negative;

          (b) Film or plate positive;

          (c) Film designed to be projected on a screen for exhibition;

          (d) Films, glass slides, or transparencies, either in negative or positive form, designed for exhibition by projection on a screen;

          (e) Video tape or any other medium used to electronically reproduce images on a screen.

          (((7))) (8) "Person" means any individual, partnership, firm, association, corporation, or other legal entity.

          (((8))) (9) "Place" includes, but is not limited to, any building, structure, or places, or any separate part or portion thereof, whether permanent or not, or the ground itself.

          (((9))) (10) "Publication" shall include any book, magazine, article, pamphlet, writing, printing, illustration, picture, sound recording, or a motion picture film which is offered for sale or exhibited in a coin-operated machine.

          (((10))) (11) "Sale" means a passing of title or right of possession from a seller to a buyer for valuable consideration, and shall include, but is not limited to, any lease or rental arrangement or other transaction wherein or whereby any valuable consideration is received for the use of, or transfer of possession of, lewd matter.

 

        Sec. 2.  Section 2, chapter 1, Laws of 1979 as amended by section 1, chapter 141, Laws of 1988 and RCW 7.48.052 are each amended to read as follows:

          The following are declared to be moral nuisances:

          (1) Any and every place in the state where lewd films are publicly exhibited as a regular course of business, or possessed for the purpose of such exhibition, or where lewd live performances are publicly exhibited as a regular course of business;

          (2) Any and every place in the state where a lewd film is publicly and repeatedly exhibited, or possessed for the purpose of such exhibition, or where a lewd live performance is publicly and repeatedly exhibited;

          (3) Any and every lewd film which is publicly exhibited, or possessed for such purpose at a place which is a moral nuisance under this section;

          (4) Any and every place of business in the state in which lewd publications constitute a principal part of the stock in trade;

          (5) Any and every lewd publication possessed at a place which is a moral nuisance under this section;

          (6) Every place which, as a regular course of business, is used for the purpose of lewdness, assignation, or prostitution, and every such place in or upon which acts of lewdness, assignation, or prostitution are conducted, permitted, carried on, continued, or exist;

          (7) All public houses or places of resort where illegal gambling is carried on or permitted; all houses or places within any city, town, or village, or upon any public road, or highway where drunkenness, illegal gambling, fighting, or breaches of the peace are carried on or permitted; all houses, housing units, other buildings, or places of resort where controlled substances identified in Article II of chapter 69.50 RCW and not authorized by that chapter, are manufactured, delivered or possessed, or where any such substance not obtained in a manner authorized by chapter 69.50 RCW is consumed by ingestion, inhalation, injection or any other means.

 

        Sec. 3.  Section 3, chapter 1, Laws of 1979 and RCW 7.48.054 are each amended to read as follows:

          The following are also declared to be moral nuisances, as personal property used in conducting and maintaining a moral nuisance:

          (1) All moneys paid as admission price to the exhibition of any lewd film or lewd live performance found to be a moral nuisance;

          (2) All valuable consideration received for the sale of any lewd publication which is found to be a moral nuisance;

          (3) The furniture, fixtures, and contents of a place which is a moral nuisance.

          From and after service of a copy of the notice of hearing of the application for a preliminary injunction, provided for in RCW 7.48.064, upon the place or its manager, acting manager, or person then in charge, all such persons are deemed to have knowledge of the acts, conditions, or things which make such place a moral nuisance.  Where the circumstantial proof warrants a determination that a person had knowledge of the moral nuisance prior to such service of process, the court shall make such finding.

 

        Sec. 4.  Section 1, chapter 184, Laws of 1982 as amended by section 2, chapter 141, Laws of 1988 and RCW 7.48A.010 are each amended to read as follows:

          The definitions set forth in this section shall apply throughout this chapter.

          (1) "Knowledge" or "knowledge of such nuisance" means having knowledge of the contents and character of the patently offensive sexual or violent conduct which appears in the lewd matter, or knowledge of the acts of lewdness or prostitution which occur on the premises, or knowledge that controlled substances identified in Article II of chapter 69.50 RCW and not authorized by that chapter, are manufactured, delivered or possessed, or where any such substance not obtained in a manner authorized by chapter 69.50 RCW is consumed by ingestion, inhalation, or injection or any other means.

          (2) "Lewd matter" is synonymous with "obscene matter" and means any matter:

          (a) Which the average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find, when considered as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest; and

          (b) Which explicitly depicts or describes patently offensive representations or descriptions of:

          (i) Ultimate sexual acts, normal or perverted, actual or simulated; or

          (ii) Masturbation, fellatio, cunnilingus, bestiality, excretory functions, or lewd exhibition of the genitals or genital area; or

          (iii) Violent or destructive sexual acts, including but not limited to human or animal mutilation, dismemberment, rape or torture; and

          (c) Which, when considered as a whole, and in the context in which it is used, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

          (3) "Lewdness" shall have and include all those meanings which are assigned to it under the common law.

          (4) "Live performance" means any play, show, skit, dance, or other exhibition performed or presented to or before an audience of one or more, in person or by electronic transmission, with or without consideration.

          (5) "Matter" shall mean a live performance, a motion picture film, or a publication or ((both)) any combination thereof.

          (((5))) (6) "Motion picture film" shall include any:

          (a) Film or plate negative;

          (b) Film or plate positive;

          (c) Film designed to be projected on a screen for exhibition;

          (d) Film, glass slides, or transparencies, either in negative or positive form, designed for exhibition by projection on a screen;

          (e) Video tape or any other medium used to electronically reproduce images on a screen.

          (((6))) (7) "Person" means any individual, partnership, firm, association, corporation, or other legal entity.

          (((7))) (8) "Place" includes, but is not limited to, any building, structure, or places, or any separate part or portion thereof, whether permanent or not, or the ground itself.

          (((8))) (9) "Prurient" means that which incites lasciviousness or lust.

          (((9))) (10) "Publication" shall include any book, magazine, article, pamphlet, writing, printing, illustration, picture, sound recording, or coin-operated machine.

          (((10))) (11) "Sale" means a passing of title or right of possession from a seller to a buyer for valuable consideration, and shall include, but is not limited to, any lease or rental arrangement or other transaction wherein or whereby any valuable consideration is received for the use of, or transfer of possession of, lewd matter.

 

        Sec. 5.  Section 2, chapter 184, Laws of 1982 as amended by section 3, chapter 141, Laws of 1988 and RCW 7.48A.020 are each amended to read as follows:

          The following are declared to be moral nuisances:

          (1) Any and every place in the state where lewd films are publicly exhibited as a regular course of business, or possessed for the purpose of such exhibition, or where lewd live performances are publicly exhibited as a regular course of business;

          (2) Any and every lewd film which is publicly exhibited, or possessed for such purpose at a place which is a moral nuisance under this section;

          (3) Any and every place of business in the state in which lewd publications constitute a principal part of the stock in trade;

          (4) Every place which, as a regular course of business, is used for the purpose of lewdness or prostitution, and every such place in or upon which acts of lewdness or prostitution are conducted, permitted, carried on, continued, or exist;

          (5) All houses, housing units, other buildings, or places of resort where controlled substances identified in Article II of chapter 69.50 RCW and not authorized by that chapter, are manufactured, delivered, or possessed, or where any such substance not obtained in a manner authorized by chapter 69.50 RCW is consumed by ingestion, inhalation, injection, or any other means.

 

          NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6.     If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.