OH 2006 SB 245 01-26-06



		NAC Advisory OHIO SENATE BILL 245 January 26, 2006

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	******************************************************************** NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE ADVISORY ****************************************************************** http://www.naturistaction.org ****************************************************************** Copyright 2006 by the Naturist Action Committee, which is responsible for its content. Permission is granted for the posting, forwarding or redistribution of this message, provided that it is reproduced in its entirety and without alteration. DATE: January 26, 2006 SUBJECT: Ohio Senate Bill 245 TO: All Naturists and other concerned citizens Dear Naturist, The Naturist Action Committee (NAC) wishes to make you aware of significant and potentially threatening legislation in the state of Ohio. Senate Bill 245 has been introduced in the Ohio legislature, and it has quickly developed into a major campaign issue for a number of Ohio politicians who are positioning themselves for election to higher office. BACKGROUND Introduced by Sen. Gary Cates (R-West Chester), the legislative bill is a response to an incident that took place last November in a retail department store in Sen. Cates's hometown. In that incident, a young girl viewed a male flasher whose actions were presumed to be sexually motivated. The man was arrested and jailed. Despite having a history of such charges, he was able to post a modest amount of bail and was released the same day. Senate Bill 245 is being dubbed "Nicole's Law," after the girl in the department store. The proposed revision to state law would escalate penalties for public indecency when a minor is present. It would also increase the difficulty of making bail for those charged with public indecency. The problem for naturists, of course, is that public indecency is the same law that authorities use to charge folks for skinny-dipping and other instances of mere nudity. Under the proposals of SB 245, the increased penalties can escalate to felony status for subsequent convictions, even when no sexual motivation is involved. NO ACTION IS REQUESTED AT THIS TIME This is an Advisory. NAC requests that you DO NOT take action at this time. Please look for future NAC Action Alerts that will likely ask for your involvement. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Naturist Action Committee operates a legislative lobbyist in Ohio. The American Association for Nude Recreation and the Midwest Sunbathing Association are important long term partners with NAC in the funding of the Ohio lobbyist. NAC gratefully acknowledges the valuable contribution to this effort that is being made by the leaders and membership of AANR and MSA. WHAT IS NAC DOING? NAC is presently involved in intense discussions with lawmakers, including the primary sponsor of Senate Bill 245. Depending on the outcome of those discussions, NAC may call for a coordinated grass root response from naturists. However, NOW IS NOT THE BEST TIME for such an action on this issue. Watch for future NAC Action Alerts, Advisories and Updates on this important topic. MORE INFORMATION For additional information, please visit the web site of the Naturist Action Committee: www.naturistaction.org This Advisory is available under "ALERTS, ADVISORIES & UPDATES," and it includes links to current Ohio law and the complete text of Senate Bill 245. Here's a direct link to this specific Advisory: http://www.naturistaction.org/AlertsAdvisoriesUpdates/ADVISORIES/OH_2006_SB_245_01-2 6-06/oh_2006_sb_245_01-26-06.html PLEASE HELP NAC HELP NATURISTS! The Naturist Action Committee is a volunteer nonprofit organization that exists to advance and protect the rights of naturists throughout North America. Protecting freedom is expensive, and unlike other organizations, NAC has no membership roster on which to assess dues. NAC relies entirely on the voluntary generosity of supporters like you. To donate to NAC online with your MasterCard, Visa or Discover Card, go to: www.naturistaction.org/donate/** Or you can use the address below, or call toll free (800) 886-7230 to donate by phone. NAC PO Box 132 Oshkosh, WI 54903 Thank you for choosing to make a difference! Naturally, Bob Morton Executive Director Naturist Action Committee --------------------------------------------------------------- Naturist Action Committee (NAC) - PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903 Executive Dir. Bob Morton - <execdir@naturistaction.org> Online Rep. Dennis Kirkpatrick - <naturist@sunclad.com> --------------------------------------------------------------- \| Top \| Return to Current NAC Advisories \| Return to NAC Home Page \| Entire contents © 2006 Naturist Action Committee, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.