City OKs Blinders on Sex Magazine Racks

The Thousand Oaks City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved an ordinance requiring blinders to block the view inside vending machines containing sexually explicit materials.

The purpose of the ordinance is to shield pornography magazine racks so that children and other passers-by cannot see their racy contents.

Action on the ordinance was postponed for several months, in part because Thousand Oaks was awaiting resolution of a court case regarding a state law banning the sale of pornography in racks accessible to minors. The case is pending in the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeal.

But Councilman Mike Markey, the ordinance’s chief proponent, argued that because Thousand Oaks is not trying to ban the sale of sexually explicit publications in outdoor racks, the city should not encounter legal problems.

“Let’s move on with it,” agreed Mayor Andy Fox, “and worry later about getting sued.”