June 27th, 2011 § § permalink
City Council may have decided that they don’t want fortune-telling in Meridian, Mississippi, but the rest of the town isn’t so sure.
Take a look at the WTOK report on citizen reaction to Council’s decision.
People might not be interested in getting a reading themselves, but they don’t like the ban. Especially if it draws a lawsuit for being unconstitutional.
Dana Jones of Meridian has started a petition asking that Council reverse its decision. If you’re from the area, you might want to sign.
Comments posted on both her petition page and the WTOK report seem to support lifting the prohibition.
I don’t know that they’re actually representative of the general population, but they’re clearly concerned about the influence of personal religious beliefs on political decision-making.
Council may have thought that they closed this issue last Tuesday, but it might not be done yet.
comment on this post
June 23rd, 2011 § § permalink
Meridian, Mississippi City Council voted 3 to 2 on Tuesday, to maintain the city’s 38-year ban on fortune-telling, despite the risk of facing a potential lawsuit.
After months of debate, public input, and considerable soul searching, council’s made their final decision.
At least for now.
comment on this post
May 19th, 2011 § § permalink
It looks like Meridian, Mississippi might just lift their ban on fortune-telling businesses after all.
Though City Council voted last April to maintain the 38 year old ban, just this week, the issue was revisited.
This time round, instead of only one voice in opposition to the ban, the majority of the Council seems to support the change.
It’s not that they support psychics, so much as they fear having a lawsuit brought against them for trying to enforce an unconstitutional law.
If the ban is lifted, council intends to have psychic or fortune-telling businesses restricted to particular areas of the city, not just to particular business zones.
Action will likely be taken over the next couple of council meetings.
comment on this post
March 20th, 2011 § § permalink
Carroll County Seal
Some follow-ups in fortune-telling legal news …
It looks like the 38 year-old ban on fortune-telling in Carroll County, Maryland is about to end.
Last week, the repeal measure won approval from the Senate and House of Delegates.
It’s next step is to be reviewed by Governor Martin O’Malley.
Since the Maryland Court of Appeals ruled last year that bans on fortune-telling businesses violate the First Amendment, such laws have been facing opposition across the country.
Harford County, Maryland repealed its 31-year old prohibition just last week.
And Meridian County, Mississippi is likely to follow suit.
The City Attorney’s office has been asked to draw up a repeal motion to be presented to Council in April.
And in Pompano, Florida, City Council is considering changing their law to allow fortune-telling businesses to operate in the general business districts.
Presently, such establishments are relegated to light-medium industrial areas, alongside strip clubs and pet hotels.
comment on this post
February 19th, 2011 § § permalink
Meridian, Mississippi
The city of Meridian, Mississippi is taking steps to lift a ban on fortune telling and palmistry businesses.
According to the Meridian Star, the law presently states that,
“It shall be unlawful for any person within the corporate limits of the city to carry on the business of telling fortunes or to carry on the trade, business or profession of phrenology, clairvoyance, palmistry or other business of like kind or nature in which the future of any person is foretold or attempted to be foretold.”
Questions about the constitutionality of this prohibition have come into question, leading City Council this past week to ask its attorney to draw up an order to rescind it.
Similar laws have recently been struck down in Michigan, Georgia and Maryland.
comment on this post