Rep. Teska Votes to Protect Children, Updating Ohio's Obscenity Laws

State Representative Michelle Teska (R-Clearcreek Twp.) yesterday voted in support of House Bill 249, also known as the Indecent Exposure Modernization Act. The bill aims to protect Ohio’s children, preserve family values, and update Ohio’s outdated obscenity laws.

House Bill 249 establishes important measures to protect children from being exposed to cabaret performances that are marketed to adults with adult themes, imagery, and performances. The ultimate goal is to protect children and families from sexualized performances taking place in public spaces while preserving the free speech rights of performers. 

The Indecent Exposure Modernization Act creates the offense of “unlawful adult cabaret performance,” which prohibits a person, with knowledge of its character and content, from recklessly engaging in an adult cabaret performance in a location other than an adult cabaret. The bill underscores that an offense does not apply to a bona fide film, concert, or other artistic performance that is not obscene or not harmful to juveniles, or an adult cabaret performance in a private residence where no minors are present. 

Under the bill, performing an “unlawful adult cabaret performance” is a first-degree misdemeanor or a fourth- or fifth-degree felony depending on the circumstances of the offense. 

The legislation also updates the offense of public indecency in the law to include exposure of a person’s “private area” rather than just the exposure of “private parts,” following a case in Xenia. 

The bill now goes to the Ohio Senate for further consideration.