Legislative Sentry: HB1981 - Keep Your Laws Off My Drawers (Or Not?)

Here's a light-hearted one for a dark day.  Delegate Algie Howell Jr. (D-Norfolk) has introduced a bill to give a $50 fine to anyone who exposes his "below-waist undergarments" in an offensive manner.  The bill is an amendment to Virginia's existing indecent exposure law that criminalizes "obscene display" of "body parts", punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Is this Virginia's equivalent to Louisiana's "baggy pants bill"?  That bill became a national embarrassment after passing Louisiana's criminial justice committe and was ultimately defeated, thanks to opposition from the Louisiana chapter of the ACLU, whose representative stood up for free expression rights, including a spirited defense of the rights of Louisiana plumbers who might occasionally expose, well, let's just say, cracks in their professionalism.

Virginia low-rider wearers, beware. Will we see thong-exposers and droopy-drawer-boxer wearing Virginians uniting in grassroots action to oppose this bill?  I can just see them in protest marches now ...paraphrasing Stockard Channing singing in Grease, "Keep your filthy laws off my silky drawers!"

I can see obscene display of body parts as "indecent exposure", but flashing your tighty whities?  I dunno.  Shouldn't it be called "tacky exposure" instead?

Comments

[Kerstin]

Oh lord, Maura. Perhaps this is why I've never visited Virginia? I'm gonna go outside and kiss my Massachusetts ground. WHERE do these guys come from? Don't they have anything better to do than write dumb bills? Maybe they're all stand-up comedians and we don't get their jokes?!

[Robin in Richmond]

This is typical of the right-wing relionists who want to institute what THEY call religious law in order to assure Christ's Second Coming. Many of them believe that all sorts of moral "crimes" (by their lights) should be capital crimes. They're talking death penalty, guys, for things like teenage rebellion, premarital sex, extramarital sex, etc.

This is just one step on that road, and it's very intentional.

[Loretta]

Oh my what a dum bill to pass I believe the officers of the law have more to worry about then the styles of clothes. Be real there is so much crimes on the street that has nothing to do with what they wear. Don't take the freedom of speech away, if so we are no better than the foreign countries.

[Adam]

I'm on all of your sides still, but before you go criticizing the Bible belt (which in other situations deserves heaps upon heaps of criticism), keep in mind that a DEMOCRATIC delegate introduced this bill.

[Bruce B]

What about the plumbers??? What about the plumbers???

[Helen]

I kinda find those jeans obscene, but notsomuch in a lewd way as in a "why the heck are these still 'in'" way.

Course, I wear froofy scarves, too, so who knows.

[April]

I think that this bill is pointless and somewhat racial. This bill is catered mostly to African Americans. We are already targeted in America enough and now they are trying to take away our since of style. How can a bill be passed on how someone else wants to dress as long as they are fully clothed there should be no problem? It is a lot of things that I could care less of seeing in a day to day bases such as people with a hundreds of piercing in there face, spiked hair and etc., but that is there since of style and they are comfortable with there selves and their since of style makes them unique in there own way. I think that this is one of the craziest things that I have ever heard of. Laws are not made to control every human function because if that were the case then we would all be the same. I know that if this bill gets passed it will bring nothing but an uproar in Virginia and cause more problems than we already have. I know that it is a lot of more serious things that could be addressed more so than how someone pants fit on them.

[kelvin]

This is definitely a bill that should not be passed but also a bill that can be looked at from a racial standpoint because most that wear baggy jeans or hip huggers are of the african american decent. Questions for everyone; just when
does the clothes that a person wear intels just how indepth you are or how well you work with the community or being a role model. Virginia legislation, please find something better to do with your time. We are still highly involved in the War on Terrorism. Don't you think that would be a better issue to discuss and find a positive solution.

[Joey]

I say let them wear the baggy drawers..If it is deemed baggy pants is synonimous with trouble..Then let em wear them ,have you ever seen anybody run in those things????...

[theonomy]

no one really cares. its just another way they know the government can get money. no surprise its a democrat pushing it. bloodsucking fiends.

[Mike]

If the law doesn't pass under Virginia's "Indecent exposure Law" then maybe they can try to pass it under a safety law of some kind like seat belts & motorcycle helmets? If you wear these baggy pants you could trip and fall which would make all our insurance rates and medical costs go up. You know big brother and the religious right need to protect us from ourselves at all costs.

[Jessie]

Thank God I live in Southern California.

[Freedom(thong) lover]

This is really sad. What's next? Everyone must get their hair buzz cut? It's a sickening display of Democracy (tyranny of the majority)...Thank God (but mostly the Founding Fathers) that we live in a Constitutional Republic. There are already to many laws that violate our freedoms, lets not create anymore.

[Camron]

If a cop tries to give me a fine for the way I chose to dress hes gonna have bigger problems on his hands then how low my pants are.

[Johnny]

I see nothing wrong with this. Underwear is meant to be worn "under" your clothing, not for everyone to see. It's about time someone addressed this issue. (Not bad for a Black Democrat, huh?)

[Thys]

Only in America!

[R.J.Levy]

so let me get this straight.. women can plump their breast up in a top that is way too small for them.. punkers can put a peircing through their lips and plates in their ears.. young girls can wear pants so tight you can see their thong line as well as how much change is in their pocket ..but a kid doesn't put a belt on and keeps pulling his pants up all day.. we finally decide to make it a law.

God help us.. these 'are' the end of days

[Ash in Norfolk]

Oh, what a sad time to be a Democrat in Virginia. Delegates, you have shamed us! Granted, I don't want to see anyone's underwear in public, but there is no need to legislate against such bad taste. I'm more worried about whether there will be enough money for college students, or whether the potholes from Hurricane Isabel will ever get fixed. Let's work on campaign finance reform, or something a little more relevant than baggy pants. I doubt the hip-hoppers and the ravers and those of us who've lost weight but haven't bought new clothes yet (see, the law affects more than one race or group of people, folks) are going to pay much attention to the law anyway.

[Will]

I live in virginia and this new law suck ass. I hate this place.

[Mikey]

HAHA! What a crock.....and this will never pass, it violates the first ammendment. BUT, if anyone ever gets harrassed by a cop for your undees, just run, most are way out of shape anyway, another problem with our police force.

[Carrie]

I agree with all of those who have posted before me! I think this law is absolutely hilarious...as if there is nothing more important to worry about? One other post that I read really sums it all up...these politicians in their business suits discussing what others should wear? PLEASE!! What I do not agree with is that this is aimed at the African-American population. I am from a small town in PA, my 16 year old son and his friends are not of Af-Amer decent, yet they wear the biggest pants they can comfortably wear. This fashion is so common-place now-a-days...they would look very out of place among their school mates if they did NOT wear "droopy drawers". When we do school shopping, I wouldn't even waste my money buying a size 26 instead of the 32's my son wears. And I already know that he is going to have the pant legs all worn out and ragged within two weeks from walking on them. Every generation has had to go through criticism about what they choose to wear. I'm not going to sit and criticize a teenage boy who gets A's and B's in Chemistry and Algebra because he wears jeans three sizes too big...For crying out loud...let people be individuals. Even my husband wears this style...it's just the new Millenium...let it go!

[william cole]

Can you please tell me how Delegate Melanie Rapp voted on two issues--either in sub-committee, committee, or full house (or other) votes:

HB 1981

HJ 537

Thanks!

Bill Cole

[Maura in VA]

Hi, Bill,

You can look up your delegate's voting record any time on the General Assembly Legislative Information Session Web site at:

http://leg1.state.va.us/051/bil.htm

Just type in the bill number.

On HB1981, it looks like Delegate Rapp voted in favor of the bill:
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?051+vot+HV0891+HB1981
Delegate Rapp was not on the committee that dealt with this bill and only voted on it in the full House vote.

For HJ537, Delegate Rapp was on the committee that dealt with the bill. She voted in favor of advancing the bill from the committee to the full House:
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?051+vot+H18V0105+HJ0537

And also voted YEA on the bill in the full House:
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?051+vot+HV0935+HJ0537

Disappointing. I hope this helps you!

[Edie Aguilar]

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[toshay]

Has anyone read the PA journal or the latest journal of medicine reguarding this issue... Obviously not. We are going to have so many young men in our society with hipdisplasia just like pomeranians from not being able to walk erectly. Do we want our children to have the same physical ailments as real canines and do I really want to spend my tax dollars caring for their stupidity. Ummm the answer is no. Buy a belt 5.99 at Kmart