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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 561 ORDINANCE. NO. . AN ORDINANCE 62*1sttling a Board of Censors for theatres, moving entertainx,enti picture shows and other p1mces of publioL�exexit, prescribing the duties of the members of such board, regulating and providing for the censoring of all theatres, moving picture shows and other places of public amusement within the limits of the City of Fort Worth, regula- ting public entertainments in said City, and prescribing penalties. BE IT .ORDAINED BY THE BOARD,OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH: Sec. 1. There is hereby created a Board of Censors, consist- ing of five discreet persons, who shall be citizens of the City of Fott Worth, to be appointed by- the Mayor and confirmed by the Board of Commissioners, whose duties it shall be to investigate a31 places of public entertainment and amusement in the City of Fort Worth and to take steps to permit or to condemn and prevent the showing of any picture or pictures, moving picture films, vaudeville, entertainment, or the giving of any character of entertainment that is obscene, im- moral, indecent, or is calculated to promote or encourage racial or sectional prejudices, indecency or immorality, of is reasonably calcu- lated to corrupt the morals of youth. Sec. 2. The Board of Censors, hereby created, shall be known and designated officially as the "Board of Censors for the City of Fort Worth"' The members thereof sliall serve for a period of two years, unless sooner .removed by the Mayor, and until their successors have been appointed and qualified. Before taking office the members of said Censor Board shall make and subscribe tD the oath of office prescribed by the Constitution of the State of Texas. A majority of said Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business; and if more than two members are absent from the City or unable from any other cause to act, the Mayor shall have power to appoint substi- tutes to serve during the absence of such members. Said Board shall organize by electing a President and Secretary, as is usual in such cases, and make and prescribe such other rules and regulations for the 2- performance of their duties as may be permitted, or consistent with the provisions of this ordinance. Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of the Secretary of said Board, or such other member or members thereof as may be required by the rules of said Board, as far as possible, to visit each place where motion pictures or other public entertainments are exhibited in the City of Fort Worth each day and to examine all of said entertainments, and moving picture films, and said Secretary or member or members of said Board shall ascertain if any entertainment, show or motion pic- ture is being exhibited which has been condemned by the Board of Cen- sors as being obscene, indecent or immoral, or is calculated to pro- mote or encourage racial or sectional psrejudices, indecency or im- morality or such as may be calculated to corrupt the morals of youth, or for which a permit has not been issued, and in case it shall be dis- closed that any such picture is being shown or entertainment given, the manager or other-person in 'chp.rge a a 1 be notified to stop the exhibition of such a picture or the giving of such entertainment. The Secretary or visiting member or members shall promptly report all violations of this ordinance' or section to the Board of Censors. All moving picture shows, theatres, penny arcades, vaudeville shows and other places of public entertainment in the City of Fort Worth are hereby required to permit said Secretary and other members of the Censor Board, without charge or compensation, to enter said shows or phases of public entertainment and to examine and inspect each and all of said motion pictures or other entertainments which are being shown or exhibited therein, and they, and each of them, shall do so whenever and as often as tha e*!kcl-- -cr aaTT-gjM-d-o-f Censors may require. See. 4. leach and every person, firm or corporation in charge Of any place of public entertainment, as hereinbefore in this ordinance set out, in the City of Fort Worth, shall apply to the Board of Cen- sors, through the Secretary or the President of said Board, for a per- mit to show any moving picture or series of moving pictures, vaudeville entertainment or give any public entertainment of any kind. The ap- plicant for a permit shall file with the Secretary or President of said Board at least two days in ddvance of the time at which it is pro- posed to give an exhibition of moving pictures or other entertainment (unless impossible to do so) a complete grogram thereof, and shall furnish, when demanded, such additional information concerning such n,,,:_n 4s.d 4 4r m 9g i_4n_a uicture or series of pia113 19. as be required by the Board of'Censors, or President or Secretary there- of, in such form as may be satisfactory to the Secretary of said Board. The Secretary shall issue permits in the name of tkfe Board of Censors for the exhibition of pictures or the giving of public enter- tainments as herein described, but no permit shall be issued in the name of the Board of Censors upon any application for the showing of pictures or the gibing of entertainments, which are obscene, immoral, indecent, or which would tend to promote or encourage indecency or im- morality or racial or sectional prejudices, or such as reasonably cal- oulated to corrupt the morals of youth, until such application has been presented to and passed upon by the Board of Censors. The Board of Censors shall have the right to appoint a time and place for in- specting the pictures or exhibition in question at which time the ex- hibitor shall produce $dr inspection by the Board all films, reels or other like products, by or from which any picture or series of pic- tures are shown or produced, or character of vaudeville entertainment to be given, and if required by the Board of Censors shall exhibit the picture or series of pictures or entertainment to the members of said Board. If a majority of the Board of Censors present at such inspection shall condemn said picture or other public entertainment in violation of the provisions of this ordinance or the laws of the State of Texas, no permit therefor shall be issued by the Secretary, provided a quortum of said Board shall have the power to act in all cases; provided further that the Board of Censors shall have the power in the event it does not desire to condemn a picture or a series of pictures, or vaudeville or other public entertainment as a whole, to order the elimination of such parts or scenes as will remove the grounds 4- of offense against this ordinance and the laws of the Statw of Texas, and to issue permits conditioned upon the making of such elimination. Sec. 5. The Board of Censors shall grant no permit for the giving of any public entertainment or the showing of any picture or series of pictures which, in the opinion of the Board, is obscene, indecent or immoral, or is contrary to good morals or public decency, or is caluoulated to promote or encourage racial or sectional pre- judices, immorality or indecency or is calculated to corrupt the morals of youth; provided, however, that all permits granted shall be subject to revoca#ion by the Board, should it be ascertained that there has been any mistake made on their part or mis-representation or conce&lment of the material facts concerning the character and quality of the exhibition so permitted. Sec. 6. My person, firm or corporation who may feel aggrieved by any action or ruling of the Board of Censors may, within twenty- four hours after such action or ruling so complained of, call in three referees -to- sit" s? re erees sha e the Mayog of the City of Fort Worth or some competent person to be named by him, who shall serve in his stead, the Superintendent of Public Schools for the City of Fort Worth, and the Superintendent of Public Schools for Tarrant County. The action of said Board of Censors and said three referees shall then become final . Provided, however, that pending the hearing on any application for a permit, the entertainment, perfor- mance, moving picture show or other such public amusement under consid eration shall not make any exhibition or show until after a final hearing, and until a permit shall have been granted. Sec. 7. The license of any theatre, vaudeville, moving picture show or other plaaa sf- %aez Iraf' the proprietor thereof, within the limits of the City of Fort forth, may be forfeited and re- voked or suspended for a definite period by the Board of Commissioners for any violation of the provisions of this ordinance, or for any failure or refusal to comply with the provisions hereof. In case any such license may be revoked or suspended, then another license may be granted to the same proprietor, manager or owner, or the former li- cense revived for the conduct, operation or exhibition of such public F�, entertainment , =74394fA, on the same permits, at any time when deemed proper by the Board of Censors upon the application of such proprietor. Sea. 8. It shall be unlawful for any employee, ticket sealer, ticket taker, usher, moving picture machine operator or any other person connected with or employed by the owner, manager or proprietor of any theatre, vaudeville, moving picture show or other place of pub- entertainment licZXM%g=axt to whom, or to which, a permit under the provisions of this ordinance has been refused, arc to aid, assist or be connected with any such prohibited or condemned exhibition. Sec. 9. The license of any moving picture show operator in the City of Fort Worth may be by the Board of Commissioners suspended, cancelled or revoked for a violation of any of the provisions of this ordinance. 4 Sec. 10. Theatres, vaudeville performances, moving picture shows and other places of public entertainment operated, exhibited or shown within the limits of the City of Fort Worth shall be opera*- ed and conducted in aeyd'6ze`ance w�h a3 3 of the ordinances of the City of Fort Worth and laws of the State of Texas. Sec. 11. It shall hereafter be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation, or the agent or employee of such person, firm or c corporation keeping, condating or maintaining or aiding or aUttz in the keeping, conduting or maintaining of any theatre, vaudeville performance, moving picture show or other place of public entertain- in the City of Fort Worth ment to fail or refuse to comply with the provisions of this ordinance Sec. 12. Any person, firm or corporation, or the agent or employee of any such person, firm or corporation, violating any of the terms of this ordinance or failing or refusing to comply with the provisions hereof shall be-derwavd kUilly--or a misdi n6anor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum not less than $10.00 nor more than $200.00. And each and every days failure to comply with the provisions hereof, or each and every exhibition not in com- pliance with the terms of this ordinance, shall constitute a separate offense. Sea. 13. The holding or adjudication of any section, or sub- division of any section, or any part of any subdivision of a section of this ordinance to be invalid, shall not Offect the validity of any other section, subdivision of a section, or part of a subdivision of a section thereof, but all other sections, subdivisions o�sections and parts of subdivisions of sections, shRll be and remain in full force and effect. Sec. 14. All ordinances of the City of Fort Worth in conflict with the provisions hereof are hereby especially repealed. Sec. 15. This ordinance shall be in force and effect from and after its passage and five days` publication, as required by law. Approved as to Form: &orporation Counsel. I hereby certify that the above and foregoing Ordinance was duly presented and unanimously passed and adopted by the Board of Com- missioners of the City of Fort North at a special called session of said Board h .p d�� PAP Udr A. P. 1917. City Sec re ary.