Mayor May Overhaul or Repeal Cabaret Law

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Mayor Bloomberg is looking to overhaul or repeal a city law that bars dancing in establishments that don’t have a cabaret license.

Under the law, which dates to 1926, businesses are not permitted to allow three or more people to dance unless they obtain a special license.

“What we’re trying to do is just balance between letting people have fun and to assure people in the neighborhood that they won’t be disturbed by what goes on,” Mr. Bloomberg said yesterday. He said the police department is trying to keep the city safe while ensuring that visitors and residents can have a good time.

The law was often used by Mayor Giuliani to crack down on troublesome nightclubs.

“I think the issues with the cabaret law tend to be not around dancing. It tends to be that, when you do have dancing, they tend to have more problems with abuse of alcohol and drugs and that sort of thing,” Mr. Bloomberg said.

The administration is considering creating a task force to talk about alternatives to the current system. The effort to change the law was first reported by the Daily News.

The former director of the New York Civil Liberties Union and a candidate for public advocate, Norman Siegel, said the law needs to go.

“When you tell people that, unless an establishment that serves food and drink has a cabaret license, three or more people can’t dance, they think you are making it up,” he said. “The government should not be prohibiting or regulating our right to dance.”


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