[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Pleasantville 6-7-1982 by Ord. No. 11-1982 as Ch. 137 of the 1982 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Entertainment at places serving alcohol — See Ch. 84, Art. I.
Obscene actions — See Ch. 163, § 163-4.
Obscene language as violation of public peace — See Ch. 180.
Adult bookstores and peep shows — See Ch. 290.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
COMMERCIAL DISPLAY
The exhibition of obscene material to the senses of another person for valuable consideration, whether the valuable consideration is paid by the recipient of the exhibition or by another. Where obscene material is exhibited incident to another commercial transaction, it is a "commercial display," whether or not the parties state that the valuable consideration is paid in part for the obscene exhibit.
COMMERCIAL DISTRIBUTION
Any transfer or possession of obscene material, whether permanent or temporary, for any valuable consideration, whether the valuable consideration is paid by the recipient of the obscene material or by another. Where obscene material is transferred incident to another commercial transaction, it is a "commercial distribution," whether or not the parties state that the valuable consideration is paid in part for the obscene material.
A. 
Films and moving pictures. A film or moving picture is obscene if, when considered as a whole, its calculated purpose or dominant effect is:
(1) 
Substantially to arouse sexual desires, whether natural or unnatural, and if the probability of this effect is so great as to outweigh whatever other merits the film may possess.
(2) 
To portray acts of sexual immorality or lewdness as profitable, desirable, acceptable or proper behavior.
(3) 
To advocate the illegal use of narcotics or habit-forming drugs.
B. 
Photographs, paintings, illustrations. A photograph, painting or illustration is obscene if it portrays human sexual intercourse, homosexual acts, sadistic sexual acts, sexual acts between man and beast or human sexual organs. (Breasts shall not be considered sexual organs for the purpose of this subsection.) Notwithstanding the foregoing, a photograph, painting or illustration which portrays human sexual organs is not obscene if it is a part of a medical textbook; if it is a work of art, the original or a copy of which has been displayed by a museum receiving public funds, or (if by a less-renowned artist) the subject of which is the human body as a whole without particular emphasis on its sexual parts and, if considered as a whole, its calculated purpose or dominant effect is not to substantially arouse sexual desires, whether natural or unnatural, so as to outweigh whatever other merits it may possess.
C. 
Books and magazines. A book or magazine containing photographs, paintings or illustrations of the type defined as obscene in Subsection B is obscene if, considered as a whole, its calculated purpose or dominant effect is substantially to arouse sexual desires, whether natural or unnatural, and if the probability of this effect is so great as to outweigh whatever other merits it may possess. A book or magazine containing no photographs, paintings or illustrations shall not be considered obscene for purposes of this chapter.
D. 
Objects. An object is obscene if it is by itself a recognizable reproduction of a sexual organ, including breasts, or if some part of it consists of a recognizable reproduction of sexual organs substantially exaggerated in size or appearance.
E. 
Acts. An act is obscene if it involves the naked display of sexual organs, including breasts, or if it is explicitly suggestive of sexual acts or if it involves sexual acts.
A. 
Any person desiring to make commercial distribution or commercial display of a film or moving picture which he has reason to believe may be obscene shall first submit it for inspection by the Review Committee, consisting of the Mayor, a consenting elected or appointed officer of the City of Pleasantville and a consenting resident of said city who is registered to vote therein, the latter two to be appointed by and to serve at the pleasure of said Mayor without compensation, which Review Committee shall act by a majority of the members thereof.
B. 
The applicant shall give the Review Committee written notice of his intention to submit any film or moving picture for inspection. Said notice shall be delivered to the Review Committee or to the City Clerk and shall contain the applicant's name, address within the city and telephone number where he can be reached during business hours. Within 24 hours (Saturdays, Sundays and holidays excepted) of receipt of said notice the Review Committee shall make itself available to said applicant during business hours for the purpose of inspecting the film or moving picture. The Review Committee shall reasonably notify the applicant of the appointed time either by telephone or by written notice left at the address within the city stated by the applicant. (The failure of the applicant to cooperate in any way in arranging a time for inspection within said 24 hours shall not relieve said applicant of the duty to submit the film or moving picture for inspection as soon thereafter as possible and prior to any commercial distribution or commercial display.) The applicant shall bring the film or moving picture, together with any necessary projector, screen and operating personnel, to the Review Committee or City Clerk at the City Hall of the City of Pleasantville, whereupon the applicant shall show the film or moving picture for the inspection of the Review Committee. Within 72 hours (Saturdays, Sundays and holidays excepted) of the termination of said inspection, the Review Committee shall either inform the applicant in writing that the commercial distribution or commercial display of said film or moving picture has been refused and that the city will seek to have the same enjoined if necessary because of its obscene character; or that said film has been approved.
C. 
It shall be a violation of this section to make commercial distribution or commercial display of any obscene film or moving picture prior to the expiration of said seventy-two-hour period. Nothing herein shall prevent the applicant from making commercial distribution or commercial display of said film or moving picture after the end of said seventy-two-hour period, subject to any judicial restraints imposed, and further subject to any penalties under § 175-5 of this chapter should said film or moving picture ultimately be adjudged obscene by a court of law.
Anyone having violated § 175-2 of this chapter shall be subject to a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000, imprisonment in the county jail for a period not exceeding 90 days and/or a period of community service not exceeding 90 days. Anyone having violated § 175-4 of this chapter, and the film or moving picture having been adjudged obscene in a court of law in the same or a separate proceeding, shall be subject to a separate penalty of imprisonment in the county jail for a period not exceeding 90 days or a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days and/or a period of community service for not more than 90 days. Each separate film, moving picture, photograph, painting, illustration, book, magazine, object or act, and each issue of them, which is commercially distributed or commercially displayed shall constitute a separate offense under this chapter. Each separate commercial distribution or commercial display, whether to different persons or to the same person, shall constitute a separate offense under this chapter.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
Notwithstanding any other section, clause or provision of this chapter to the contrary, the definitions of "obscene" and "obscenity," for all purposes of interpretation and enforcement of this chapter shall be construed in accordance with and in no event more strictly than the criteria set forth in N.J.S.A. 2C:34-2 et seq., as same shall be from time to time amended or supplemented, as well as in accordance with and not more strictly than judicial interpretations thereof pursuant to the Constitution of the United States and of the State of New Jersey finally concluded in courts of jurisdiction sufficient to render decisions on constitutional questions having general application.