March 15, 2004
(Updated) Young Creatives Again Permitted To Perform In Bars And Clubs
OLCC Overturns Own Rule Discriminating Against Minor Entertainers
Note: This post has been updated. Any and all updates appear at the end of the original post.
Joy of joys and wonder of wonders, a quick look late this evening at the OPB website finds another piece of good news that's been a long time in coming:
The Oregon Liquor Control Commission announced today it has lifted a rule barring minors from performing at bars. The commission's rule was originally aimed at nude dancers, but it also had the affect of prohibiting any one under 21 from playing in bar bands.
The OLCC withdrew its 15-month-old rule after a barrage of protest, mainly from aspiring musicians, which included a lawsuit from the ACLU.
According to OPB, that ACLU of Oregon litigation will now be withdrawn.
"Our commissioners listened to performers and the public," said Teresa Kaiser, OLCC executive director, in a news release (pdf) today, "and they're willing to allow minor entertainers back in the clubs and on stage, provided they and our licensees strictly obey the restrictions contained in the reinstated original rule."
Those restrictions are: When not performing, entertainers must remain in an area where alcohol is not served; and entertainers under 18 must have written permission from a juvenile court judge, and those under 14 must also get a Bureau of Labor and Industries work permit.
As the news release points out, the OLCC had to reconsider the rule, which they had originally adopted in August 2002, when a paperwork error was discovered which invalidated that original adoption.
Update
Of course, there's a story on this in today's The Oregonian. Among other things, it reports that the OLCC "received two petitions against the proposed ban signed by more than 200 people ... another 80 individuals submitted letters or otherwise testified against the rule ... [and] about seven letters in favor of the ban."
Comments (2)
brett on 16 Mar 2004
The OLCC should be destroyed. Or, at least renamed: Oregon Neo-Prohibitionist Commission. Catchy, ain't it.
Jack Bog on 16 Mar 2004
Young creatives. Heh.