State lawmakers fight to get pornographic video off of the streets

Pornography Bill: Tony McNary for WMC Television
April 2, 2004

Written by: Tony McNary

Tennessee lawmakers like Senator Mark Norris are fighting to get pornographic video off the streets. "Citizens shouldn't have to be exposed to this kind of drive-by-pornography as we call it." Senator Norris is pushing for a bill. It is an amendment to the state's Obscenity law that will prohibit obscene movies from being visible to other drivers. Norris says critics have asked if this bill will lead to a ban on such things as violent cartoons. "And that's when I say it's one thing if you're watching Scooby Doo it's another if you're watching Doo Scooby." James Watkins supports the bill. "I really don't think that should be a part of what's shown in public because often kids are riding in cars in back seats." His wife Judith also supports it. "Oh, I would be so offended it would really be offensive to me. I shouldn't be subject to that even I was stuck in traffic." However, Marc Hofmann feels viewing pornographic material in your own vehicle should be a matter of choice. "I think it's ridiculous. I think anytime you have any individual or government agency that goes into your own personal privacy even in your own vehicle I think is absolutely ridiculous." Senator Norris says, "But really what we're trying to do here is just send a simple signal that they should shut it off or at least not play these things where people in cars next door or pedestrians or, heaven forbid, young children riding in the car with their family are subjected to this kind of rolling smut." The drive-by-porn bill as it's called passed the Senate last year. It's scheduled to go before a House subcommittee next week. If it passes, it will then head to the full House for a vote. If the bill passes, you could face up to a 50-dollar fine for violating it.