Lomita Municipal Code Art. 3 Escort License

No person shall, for hire, reward, or other pecuniary compensation, accompany or consort with another, to or about social affairs, entertainments, places of amusement, places of pubic assembly, or within any public or private resort, or within any private quarters, or any business or commercial establishment, without first obtaining an escort license.

(Ord. No. 567, § 2, 10-7-96; Ord. No. 624, § 1, 7-10-00)

Any application for a license to perform as an escort shall be accompanied by a non-refundable fee, in an amount to be established by a resolution of the city council. The application fee shall be used to defray the cost of the investigation and report. A license to perform as an escort shall be renewed annually. The licensee shall pay a renewal fee for such renewal, in an amount established by city council resolution.

(Ord. No. 567, § 2, 10-7-96; Ord. No. 624, § 1, 7-10-00)

The term of an escort license, unless sooner suspended or revoked, shall be for a period of one (1) year.

Every person desiring to be an escort as provided in section 6-7.010 shall make application for a license to the City of Lomita. The application shall provide the following:

1. Written proof that the applicant is at least eighteen (18) years of age.

2. Address of the proposed escort service location out of which the escort shall be employed.

3. Record of conviction for violations of the law of "disqualifying conduct."

4. The applicant shall be photographed and fingerprinted by the police department, and subject to investigation and verification of a "State Summary Criminal History." One photograph shall be attached to the original application, one to the duplicate and one to the license.

5. Address, city, state, and dates when this applicant practiced a similar business, either alone or in conjunction with others.

6. Notwithstanding the fact that an application filed hereunder may be a "public record" under Government Code section 6250, et seq., certain portions of such applications contain information vital to the effective administration and enforcement of the licensing and/or license scheme established herein which information is personal, private, confidential, or the disclosure of which could expose the applicant to a risk of harm. Such information includes, but is not limited to, the applicant's residence address and telephone number, the applicant's date of birth and/or age, the applicant's driver's license and/or Social Security number, and/or financial data. The city council in adopting the application and licensing and/or license system set forth above is outweighed by the public interest in achieving compliance with this chapter by ensuring that the applicant's privacy, confidentiality, or security interests are protected. The city clerk shall cause to be obliterated from any copy of a license application made available to any member of the public, the information set forth above.

(Ord. No. 567, § 2, 10-7-96; Ord. No. 624, § 1, 7-10-00)

No license issued under this chapter shall be transferred in any manner, whether by operation of law or otherwise, from person to person. Every escort shall report immediately in writing to the business licensing department and the chief of police any change or transfer of employment to another escort service.

(Ord. No. 624, § 1, 7-10-00)

Upon receipt of the complete application and the application fee, the city clerk shall refer the same to interested departments of the city including, but not limited to, the chief of police and city manager. Each department to which a complete application is referred shall conclude its investigation and file the report with the city clerk within sixty (60) days from the date the application was complete. Any department to which an application is referred that does not file its report with the city clerk as provided herein shall be deemed to have recommended approval of the application. Upon either the receipt of the reports from all the departments to which a "complete application" has been referred or the expiration of sixty (60) days from the date of the application, whichever event occurs first, the city clerk shall forward the application, together with all reports, to the chief of police.

(Ord. No. 567, § 2, 10-7-96; Ord. No. 589, § 6, 4-6-98; Ord. No. 624, § 1, 7-10-00; Ord. No. 699, § 1, 4-2-07)

At the conclusion of the investigation, the chief of police shall approve the issuance of the license if he or she finds:

1. All the information contained in the applicant's reported data is true;

2. The applicant has not been convicted or pled nolo contendere or guilty to a misdemeanor or felony crime involving "disqualifying conduct." If the applicant has suffered any of the aforementioned, the application shall be denied.

3. The applicant has not had an escort service, introductory service or escort license, or other similar license denied or suspended or revoked for cause by the city or any other city or county located in or out of the State of California.

4. The city clerk shall thereafter issue the license when the required fee has been paid.

5. The city's decision to grant or deny license shall not be based upon information authorized or required to be kept confidential pursuant to Welfare and Institutions Code sections 600 through 900.

(Ord. No. 624, § 1, 7-10-00)

The escort licensee shall obtain an identification card issued under the provisions of this chapter and shall have such identification card in their possession at all times while engaged in the activity regulated by this article. The license holder shall carry such card with him/her when acting as an escort and produce the same for inspection upon request. Each license holder shall immediately surrender to the chief of police any escort license and/or identification card issued by the city upon the suspension, revocation, or expiration of such license, or upon leaving employment as an escort.

(Ord. No. 624, § 1, 7-10-00)

Licenses issued under this article are subject to renewal as provided in article 5 hereof.

(Ord. No. 624, § 1, 7-10-00)