Minnesota County Says No to Hotel Porn Movies

A Minnesota county has adopted a "clean hotel" policy that bans government employees from staying at hotels that offer pay-per-view pornography.

Winona County Commissioners, and community advocates who pushed for the ban, say the move could help reduce incidents of sexual and domestic violence.

"I think this is such a rampant problem," Commissioner Mena Kaehler tells the Winona Daily News, "We have to start somewhere."

Advocates are calling for a similar ban to be adopted state-wide by the Association of Minnesota Counties.

The ban does not apply to the public at large but rather means employees of the county cannot stay at most hotels with adult movies.

There are a few exceptions allowed, for instance if the cost of staying at a pornography-free hotel is more than 15 percent above that of an alternative hotel with adult movies.

More than 480 hotels in Minnesota fit the porn-free criteria, the newspaper says.

A similar bill that would have banned state employees from staying at hotels that offer porn was voted down by a Minnesota House of Representatives committee last year.

One Winona County commissioner, Marcia Ward, abstained from the vote, questioning if the county would next restrict its employees from staying at hotels with bars and smoking.



Photo, Spojeni, flickr