Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill HB 7063 raising the stripper age from 18 to 21 in the state.
The new law will go into effect on July 2021.
HB 7063 will make it a second-degree felony to employ or permit someone under age 21 to work at strip clubs.
Republican lawmakers who sponsored the bill say it will help prevent human trafficking.
“This legislation will help better protect the most vulnerable in our communities, it will ensure that if businesses are not complying with these very modest, reasonable requirements, whether knowingly or unknowingly, they will be held accountable,” DeSantis said during a press conference in Coral Gables on Monday.
Current statutes permit girls 18 years of age and older to work at adult strip clubs.
READ ALSO: Two Atlanta strippers robbed of $10K during BET Awards weekend
Strippers who are under age 21 and the clubs where they work will not be penalized until July 1.
Celebrities such as singer Monica who travel to Florida will appreciate knowing they are not making it rain on teenagers.
DeSantis’ law would have affected famous former strippers such as Cardi B and Blac Chyna who started dancing for money while they were still teens.
Florida residents fully support the new law.
One former stripper tweeted: “Well I was a stripper and I agree with DeSantis. Girls should not go straight from high school to a strip club. Hell, some start dancing before they even graduate HS.”
Male customers agree with the law because they have teenage daughters at home.
But one X/Twitter user criticized DeSantis for preventing young strippers from working to pay their bills.
“You can go into crippling debt at 18,” Chris Nelson said in a video. “When are you an adult? When can you make decisions for yourself?”
?TODAY! Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law raising the stripping age in Florida from 18 to 21!
DeSantis says this is to fight human trafficking.
I DO NOT agree with this law and think it is hypocritical to allow an 18 year old to be put into crippling debt but not strip! pic.twitter.com/IzfRBQLtjE
— Chris Nelson ?? ? (@ReOpenChris) May 13, 2024
