FLORIDA - A federal lawsuit that sought to block Florida’s new law barring performers under 21 from working in adult venues has been quietly dropped.
Earlier this week, attorneys representing two adult clubs, a dancer, and a retail adult store filed paperwork in a Tallahassee court voluntarily ending the case.
Judge Allen Winsor officially closed the lawsuit the following day.
The challenge originally claimed the law violated free speech protections, but no explanation was given for the decision to withdraw.
However, a recent filing from May 7th points to a likely reason.
The plaintiffs acknowledged a similar ordinance in Jacksonville had just been upheld by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
That decision, they said, was closely aligned with the state law they were challenging and would likely serve as binding precedent across the region.
Florida’s law, passed in 2024 with strong support from Governor Ron DeSantis and state lawmakers, restricts anyone under 21 from performing nude in adult entertainment venues.
Violations can result in criminal charges.
Supporters of the legislation say it is a tool to fight human trafficking, although the lawsuit argued that lawmakers provided no direct evidence linking adult clubs to trafficking and failed to consider less restrictive alternatives.