Rep. Chris Todd, R-Madison County, announced the passing of legislation expanding protections for children from adult entertainment.
On Jan. 13, the Tennessee House of Representatives adopted an amendment to the Tennessee Adult Entertainment Act, which Todd was integral in spearheading in 2023.
The new amendment expanding protections, House Bill 884, is sponsored by Todd and Senator Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald.
Selling or providing adult entertainment materials is currently prohibited within 1,000 feet of a private, public, or charter school, child care facility, family recreation center, public park or place of worship.
HB 884 expands such restrictions to apply to any establishment that hosts adult cabaret performance, mandating that they also abide by the 1,000-foot regulation.
“The Volunteer State leads the nation in passing common-sense policies to protect children from dangerous left-wing social policies,” Todd said.
“I’m proud to stand for Tennessee families and values, and I thank my Republican colleagues for passionately advocating for the most vulnerable in our society.”
The Carl Perkins Civic Center in Jackson, a venue where drag shows have been regularly held over the last several years, is situated between the Mother Liberty CME Church and Unity Park.
On Jan. 10, Todd posted a video to social media outside the Civic Center, discussing what he described as a “loophole” in the current legislation that allows such adult entertainment to be held in public venues.
“House Bill 884 draws a clear line: one obscene performance is one too many,” he said in the video. “Public spaces should be family-friendly, period.”
When asked how the legislation could impact the Civic Center’s ability to host drag shows, Todd shared the following statement with The Jackson Sun.
“Residents across Madison County have expressed strong support for keeping explicit entertainment out of community gathering spots,” he said.
“This legislation is a common-sense step to protect children in Tennessee from inappropriate performances, whether at a strip club or a local civic center.”
If passed by the Senate, the amendment will go into effect on May 1, 2026.
Origin of adult cabaret restrictions
The original legislation prohibited “adult cabaret” performances, like drag shows, from public spaces where minors could view them and went into effect on May 1, 2025.
In 2022, a drag show, organized by Jackson Pride, was poised to be held in Conger Park, but swiftly saw pushback from local religious leaders and elected officials, like Todd and Senator Ed Jackson, R-Jackson.
Opponents to the past event touted concern
The event, “Pride After Dark,” was moved to the Civic Center and has historically been exclusive to those 18 and over.
In February 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a petition to hear the case of Friends of George’s v. Mulroy.
The petition from the LGBTQ+ theatre group out of Memphis argued that the legislation violated constitutional free speech rights and questioned Shelby County District Attorney Steven Mulroy’s enforcement of it.
The Supreme Court’s declination ultimately upheld the legislation’s constitutionality.
Sarah Best is a reporter for the Jackson Sun. To support local journalism, subscribe to the Daily Briefing at jacksonsun.com.
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