Orange County Municipal Code Art. 22 Escorts, Escort Bureaus and Introductory Services

A separate license is required for each location within the unincorporated area of the County of Orange at which an escort bureau or introductory service is to be established or at which arrangements for an escort or introductory service are made or where pecuniary compensation for an escort or introductory service is paid.

(Ord. No. 3363, § 7, 1-11-83)

(a) No holder of an escort bureau or introductory service license shall employ as an escort any person under eighteen (18) years of age.

(b) No holder of an escort bureau or introductory service license shall furnish any escort or introductory service to, or accept employment from any patron, customer or person to be escorted, who is under eighteen (18) years of age, except at the special instance and request of a parent, guardian or other person in lawful custody of the person upon whose behalf the escort or introductory service is engaged.

(c) No holder of an escort license shall escort, offer to escort or perform any activity described in this article to any person under eighteen (18) years of age, except at the special instance and request of the parent, guardian or other person in lawful custody of the person on whose behalf the escort or introductory service is engaged.

(Ord. No. 3363, § 7, 1-11-83; Ord. No. 05-020, § 38, 11-22-05)

Each applicant for an escort license, or renewal thereof, shall furnish a certificate from a medical doctor licensed to practice in the State of California, stating that the applicant has within thirty (30) days immediately preceding the date of the application been examined and found to be free of any contagious or communicable disease.

(Ord. No. 3363, § 7, 1-11-83; Ord. No. 05-020, § 39, 11-22-05)

Every escort bureau shall furnish the Sheriff with the names of and information concerning all escorts employed or utilized by the bureau when application is made for a license. The licensee shall thereafter submit notice of any subsequent employment or utilization of other escorts or termination of any escorts.

(Ord. No. 3363, § 7, 1-11-83)

Every person who maintains, conducts or operates as an escort, escort bureau or introductory service shall at all times keep a registration book in connection therewith in which each and every customer's first, middle and last name, telephone number and complete address shall be written together with the date of initial contact and all appointments and contacts made thereafter.

(Ord. No. 3363, § 7, 1-11-83)

It is unlawful for any person while acting as an escort to engage in any "specified sexual activity" or expose any "specified anatomical sexual areas." It shall also be unlawful for any person while acting as an escort to act in a manner intended to arouse, appeal to or to gratify the lust or passions or sexual desires of the customer or client of the escort.

(Ord. No. 3363, § 7, 1-11-83)

Every escort, while engaged as such, is required to carry his or her license on his or her person or within his or her immediate possession and shall produce it for inspection by any law enforcement agency upon request. Every escort bureau and introductory service is required to maintain its license on the premises and shall produce it for inspection by any law enforcement agency upon request.

(Ord. No. 3363, § 7, 1-11-83; Ord. No. 05-020, § 40, 11-22-05)

Any person violating any provision of this article or failing to obtain the license required by section 5-1-29(x) of title 5 of the Codified Ordinances of the County of Orange shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and be punishable by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) or by imprisonment for not more than six (6) months or by both such fine and imprisonment. Revocation or suspension of a license issued under this title shall not be a defense against prosecution.

(Ord. No. 3363, § 7, 1-11-83; Ord. No. 05-020, § 41, 11-22-05)

Any escort bureau or introductory service operated, conducted or maintained contrary to the provisions of this article shall be and the same is hereby declared to be unlawful and a public nuisance and the Offices of the County Counsel or the District Attorney may commence an action or actions, proceeding or proceedings, for the abatement, removal or enjoinment thereof, in the manner provided by law, and shall take such other steps and shall apply to such court or courts as may have jurisdiction to grant such relief as will abate or remove such establishment and restrain and enjoin any person from operating, conducting or maintaining an escort bureau or introductory service contrary to the provisions of this article.

(Ord. No. 3363, § 7, 1-11-83; Ord. No. 05-020, § 42, 11-22-05)

The provisions of this article shall be applicable to all persons and businesses described herein whether the herein described activities were established before or after the effective date of the ordinance enacting this article into law. All such persons and businesses shall have sixty (60) days from said effective date to comply with the provisions of this article.

(Ord. No. 3363, § 7, 1-11-83)