Common sense prevails in Louisiana.

[MSD]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,120940,00.html

BATON ROUGE, La. ? Amid warnings it would make Louisiana (search) a laughingstock, the House refused Tuesday to make it illegal for people to wear low-riding pants (search) that expose underwear or more, rejecting a bill that's generated jokes among lawmakers and around the country.

Rep. Derrick Shepherd (search), D-Marrero, brushed aside the catcalls and laughs from lawmakers on the House floor, saying sagging pants that sit nearly at men's knees were a serious problem of young men copying the fashion of prisoners.

"I dare say to you we should have higher and loftier voted 54-39 against Shepherd's bill, likely killing it for the legislative session, with questions about how to enforce the measure and suggestions that it would set up a literal "fashion police."

Lawmakers questioned how police would determine what was deemed the proper dress and what breaks the law. Rep. Jack Smith, D-Stephensville, said police would have to get new training "to now determine what fashion is legal and what fashion is illegal."

Rep. Danny Martiny, R-Kenner, said the measure was well-intentioned but unenforceable. He said the bill would only hurt the Legislature if it was passed, making Louisiana "the laughingstock of the country."

"At the end of the day, there's only so much that we as a Legislature can do to deal with people's conduct. This is an issue that ought to be addressed by parents primarily, by the preachers, by the coaches," Martiny said.

Shepherd said the Legislature has the right to determine what was decent. He compared his proposal to curfew laws, truancy laws and a ban on gay marriage and called his bill "tough love" for young people.

"I've heard arguments before that it's unenforceable, that it's unconstitutional. Those same arguments were used when we enacted seat belt laws," he said.

The Louisiana chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (search) has said the measure could lead to selective enforcement and harassment from police and would violate a person's fundamental right to public expression.

Shepherd's bill would make it a crime to wear clothing in public that "intentionally exposes undergarments or intentionally exposes any portion of the pubic hair, cleft of the buttocks or genitals."

Violators of the proposed law would have to perform three eight-hour days of community service and could have to pay a fine up to $175.

The proposed law wouldn't apply to clothes worn in a private residence, swimsuits, fashion shows or "clothing worn by a person in the practice of their legal profession or trade," like strippers.

[Crack]

Well, that's good news, the trip to Nawleans is back on!

[lurkette]

Nice use of taxpayer funds: Protecting citizens everywhere from buttcracks and thongs!!!

[World's King]

In a state that has no Public Nudity laws?

I don't get it. The only way I've seen to get arrested in New Orleans is to pee on a cop car. That was a rough night.

[Polyphobic]

Doesn't flashing the lower genitals usually get you arrested? Especially with men.

[water_boy1999]

**Bends over and intentionally exposes portions of my pubic hair, cleft of the buttocks and genitals to Shepard.**

[Asuka{eve}]

Man kind is not doomed.

[sailor]

Wow. For once, a bit of common sense in the government. Dont see that too much...

[Esoteric]

For a minute, I thought they were actually going to pass the bill.

[Esco]

Guess the alcohol wore off and common sense prevailed. It's insane that this bill was even considered.

[Wayngo]

We have laws about public nudity. We just kinda ignore it for Mardi Gras. Most cops anyway. There are a few a-holes who will arrest the ladies.

[troit]

Next they'll pass a law telling you what kind of food your allowed to eat..... *shrug*

[felixn]

I took the oportunity a few years ago as part of a community outreach program by the police to ride along in a squad car one busy Saturday night in an economically depressed area of a large metropolitan neighborhood. Lots of different ethnicities living in the area, the entire spectrum actually, and all had their own gangs. We saw a kid wearing the pants that Louisiana wanted to outlaw, and one of the cops told me he loved seeing gang kids wearing pants like that. I asked him why and he said "Because they can't run."