Other Proposals Regarding ‘Obscene’ Music

Lawmakers in the state of Washington aren’t the only officials concerned about the dangers of potentially offensive music this election year. Here’s a rundown of some proposals elsewhere:

Arizona: A bill introduced by Republican Sen. Matt Salmon would add civil penalties of $1,000 per violation to existing felony criminal statutes for anyone caught furnishing “obscene material to minors.” A second proposal would create a local community standards test to establish what is or is not obscene.

Florida: Republican Sen. John Grant’s proposal would prohibit retailers from selling sound recordings that “tend to expose persons to hatred, contempt, ridicule or obloquy” without a mandatory warning label identifying persons responsible for recording and distributing the product.

Michigan: Three bills have been introduced that would extend state obscenity codes, allowing each community to create its own standards regarding “pornographic” music.

Illinois: Legislators have proposed a bill that would prohibit the sale of potentially offensive music without mandatory state-sanctioned warning labels.

Missouri: A bill has been introduced calling for mandatory state-sanctioned warning labels to be attached to “obscene” music recordings.

Massachusetts: A bill was proposed last week that would allow civil suits to be filed against firms that market “obscene” products if the material can be linked to the commission of a sex crime.

Barstow, Calif.: City Council officials are pushing a proposal banning the sale of hard-core rap music to anyone younger than 18.

Washington, D.C.: A bill pending in the U.S. Senate would permit victims of sex crimes to sue companies that produce or distribute “obscene” music, film or books--if it could be proven that the material was a substantial cause of the sex crime. Introduced by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the Pornography Victims’ Compensation Act has reportedly enough votes to gain passage through a Senate committee and could reach the Senate floor for a vote before the end of March.