Ala. Legislator to File Bill to Revoke Sex Toy Ban
2nd attempt to bring ‘the state into the 20th century,’ Rep. Rogers said.
By Anne Winter
Tuesday, Dec 4, 2007 Adjust font size:
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A Birmingham legislator has filed a bill to revoke the state’s ban on the sale of sex toys, the second he has filed since the law’s inception in 1998.
Rep. John Rogers, D-Birmingham, told the Birmingham News that the law is unconstitutional and embarrassing to the state.
“A shower head could be considered a sex toy,” he said. “It’s just bringing the state into the 20th century.”
This is the same law that adult shop owner Sherri Williams has spent a decade fighting. Despite losing the battle in October, Williams told XBIZ she will not stop selling adult toys in her store and is working with her lawyers on a new lawsuit challenging the law’s validity.
Though the U.S. Supreme Court refused in October to hear Williams’ case, seemingly ending the fight and making selling sex toys officially illegal in the state, a circuit court recently deemed the law too vague after an attempt to shut down an adult store, opening the issue up for debate.
“I intend to pass this bill this year,” Rogers said. “I want it to be one of the first bills on the calendar.”
The bill reportedly may be discussed Feb. 5.