ILLINOIS (WFIE) -
Lt. Governor Sheila Simon issued a statement on Saturday about Governor Pat Quinn's signing of a bill that will help fund rape crisis centers through fees based on strip club
profits or admissions.
"I thank Governor Quinn for
standing up for rape victims and crisis centers across the state. This new
revenue stream will help offset cuts that threatened critical services," Simon said. "When a
sexual assault victim goes to a police station or a survivor calls a hotline,
we need trained staff ready to respond. This bill helps to keep lights on and
doors open, jobs filled and responders trained."
Under the law, strip club owners can choose
to pay the state on an annual basis a $3 per patron fee or opt to pay a flat
fee based on the taxable receipts they report to the Illinois Department of
Revenue each year. Clubs that report taxable receipts of $2 million or more
would pay $25,000 a year; clubs that report taxable receipts of $500,000 to $2
million would pay $15,000; and clubs that report taxable receipts of less than
$500,000 would pay $5,000, according to the new law.
The law goes into effect January 2013 and
applies only to strip clubs that serve or permit alcohol consumption. It is
projected to raise up to $1 million per year, or roughly one-sixth of what the
state spends on sexual assault prevention and response annually. In fiscal year
2011, rape crisis centers in Illinois served more than 18,000 clients and
reached nearly 475,000 people with prevention education.
The $3 per patron surcharge and fee structure
was a compromise reached by rape crisis advocates, club owners and sponsors
Sen. Toi Hutchinson and Rep. Sara Feigenholtz.
The bill originally called for a $5 per patron entry fee.
"I would like to thank the Illinois Coalition
Against Sexual Assault as well as Lt. Governor Sheila Simon for their constant
and unwavering support for this new law," Hutchinson said. "Victims of sexual
assault must be able to access emergency services to fully recover from their
traumatic experiences. I am hopeful the extra funding for sexual assault
centers across Illinois will ensure no victim is turned away for care when they
need it the most."
The new revenue will go into the new Sexual Assault
Services and Prevention Fund and be distributed by the Department of Human
Services for community-based assistance to victims of sexual assault and sexual
assault prevention.
There are at least 32 rape crisis centers serving
Illinois residents, 10 in the Chicago-metro region and 22 in the non-metro
area. State funding for the centers has decreased about 28 percent in the past
five years, forcing many centers to cut counselors and/or create waiting lists
for counseling services while demand for services increased. One center closed
its doors.
Last year, the Texas Supreme Court upheld
legislation that funded crisis centers through a $5 entrance fee at strip clubs
that permit alcohol based on the correlation among alcohol, live nude dancing
and negative secondary effects, such as sexual assault. The U.S. Supreme Court
declined to hear a challenge of that decision, effectively opening the door for
other cities and states to pursue similar measures.
