Minnesota- from www.sctimes.com – State Sen. Tarryl Clark, DFL-St. Cloud, is brandishing the state’s purchasing power as a tool to remove violent pornography from Minnesota hotels.

Clark wants to require state employees traveling on business to stay at hotels that don’t offer pay-per-view pornography that features violence or degrades women.

A Central Minnesota activist asked Clark to carry a bill codifying that requirement, which the activist says could limit the spread of images that fuel negative attitudes toward women.

But critics say Clark’s proposal is a step toward censorship, may be difficult to enforce and unduly restricts the lodging industry.

Clark, who’s running for the congressional seat held by Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Stillwater, rejected the censorship tag in a Senate committee hearing last week. Clark says it’s simply a way to use state funds to urge hotels to become more family-friendly.

“This is not about policing people’s personal choices,” Clark said. “It is a statement about who we are and where we’re willing to put our dollars.”

Senators voted to advance Clark’s proposal after her testimony, paving the way for a full Senate vote on the measure. The House version is sponsored by another St. Cloud lawmaker, DFL Rep. Larry Haws, and is slated for a committee hearing on Wednesday.

Chuck Derry also testified in support of Clark’s proposal last week. Derry, of Clearwater, asked Clark to offer the bill, which he says he conceived after attending an anti-sexual-assault conference at a Minnesota hotel.

While watching TV in a hotel room at the conference, Derry says he inadvertently found pay-per-view films that eroticized dominance and degradation of women.

Derry cites research linking pornography with negative attitudes toward women. He says nudging hotels to remove such films would help the problem, while acknowledging such material is widely available on the Internet.

“Right now a 5-year-old can do five clicks and get images that people can’t even imagine,” Derry said.

Clark’s bill suggests creating a master list of “clean hotels” for state employees to use when booking hotel stays.

The bill would only take issue with adult films that link sex with violence, dominance or degradation. But Sen. Claire Robling, R-Jordan, questioned how that distinction would be made in compiling the clean hotel list.

At least one local hotel also isn’t thrilled with Clark’s proposal. Mark Laughlin, general manager of the Kelly Inn in St. Cloud, flatly says the bill is a poor idea.

Laughlin says the Kelly Inn doesn’t offer the kinds of films that Clark’s bill targets. The inn’s management made a business decision several years ago to stop carrying them, he says.

But Laughlin chafes at the thought of the state telling businesses which movies to offer – or telling guests which ones to watch.

Adults rent the rooms and should be responsible for what’s viewed on the televisions, Laughlin says.

“Adults are mature enough to make up their own mind,” Laughlin said. “You’re legislating morality, and government doesn’t belong in that.”