The Tarot Room – Georgianna

It looked like it was going to happen, but now it’s official, ‘fortune-telling’ is legal in Deadwood, South Dakota.

Last week, after a second reading of the repeal proposal, City Council members voted once more to end Deadwood’s two-decade long ban on psychic oriented businesses.

According to rapidcityjournal.com, the mayor of Deadwood, Chuck Turbiville, said that the old law had never been used and that he didn’t think that this change would have a major effect on the town.

The repeal does mean, however, that the Chamber of Commerce, who originally lobbied for the repeal, can now start marketing events like the zombie run and haunted tours, something they had been barred from doing up until now.

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It looks like Marion, Ohio might soon be changing, or maybe even repealing, its ‘fortune-telling’ ordinance.

At the moment, ‘fortune-telling’ is technically legal in Marion, but anyone practicing such work would be expected to pay quite a hefty license fee for the privilege.

According to the Marion Star, the law presently states that,

“No person shall practice astrology, fortunetelling, clairvoyancy, palmistry, phrenology or soothsaying, or intend to profess to tell future events, or predict or prophesy future events or happenings in the municipality, without first procuring from the Safety/Service Director a license to do so, for which he/she shall pay $10 per day while so practicing such profession within the municipality.”

But that may soon change as the Legislation, Codes & Regulations Committee reviews old laws in order to edit or revoke any that might no longer be relevant or useful to the city. ‘Fortune-Telling’ is on their list.

I’ll be watching to see what happens, and I’ll share anything I hear.

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Last month, I wrote that Deadwood, South Dakota was considering the repeal of a ‘fortune-telling’ ban that’s been on their books for the last twenty years.

Well, they did it. According to RapidCityJournal.com, last week, the City Commissioners voted 3-1 to repeal the ordinance.

They decided that the ban was likely a violation of the US First Amendment and didn’t want to be accused of restricting anyone’s freedom of speech or religious practice.

There will be a second reading of the repeal on February 17th. I’ll be watching out to see what happens and will keep you posted.

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For the past twenty years, psychics, card readers, and other mystics have been prohibited from carrying on business in the small town of Deadwood, South Dakota.

That might soon change, however, as the Deadwood City Commission considers repealing what the town’s mayor describes as an ‘antiquated’ law.

As it stands, the present ordinance states,

“A. No person shall advertise or engage in or carry on any business of telling fortunes, carrying on a business advertising or involving a cult or psychics powers, facilities or forces, clairvoyants, spirits, mediumship, seership, prophesy, astrology, palmistry, necromancy, or other craft, science cards, tellsman, charms, potions, magnetism or magnetized articles or substances, oriental mysteries or magic of any kind or nature or numerology, or engage in any of these businesses within the city limits.

B. The provisions of this section shall not be construed to include, prohibit or interfere with the exercise of any religious or spiritual function of any priest, minister, rector or an accredited representative of any bona fide church or religion.” section 5.52.010

The provisions do however, interfere with the Deadwood Chamber & Visitor Bureau’s ability to market ghost tours, psychic fairs, and other mystical events in their historically fascinating little town.

“I think we have a lot of hauntings in Deadwood that people would be interested in”, chamber events coordinator Sarah Anderson is reported as saying by rapidcityjournal.com.

Two hotels in town have already been featured on paranormal television shows and the Bureau would like to be able to encourage more business of that sort.

Some residents, however, are opposed to the idea, and the local ministerial association will be asked to offer their comments at the next public meeting to be held on February 3rd.

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Last week, in a unanimous 9-0 decision, Long Beach, California City Council voted to update their fortune-telling regulations.

Though psychic businesses will still need to get a business license to open shop, proprietors will no longer have to undergo a police background check, or come up with a $250,000 bond.

There have also been changes made to how ‘fortune tellers’ are defined.

Though I can’t seem to find the actual documents, according to Press Telegram News, the old definition included phrases like “gypsy cunning or foresight” and “oriental mysteries.”

The new code has removed this language, which the Council described as “outdated and offensive.”

Council also removed the requirement of a Conditional Use Permit, and will treat psychic businesses as other personal services, allowing them to operate in commercial zones.

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It’s official – psychic businesses are legal in La Cañada Flintridge, California.

In a 4-0 vote, city council members ruled that fortune-tellers, astrologers, psychics, and palm readers will be included among businesses allowed to operate under the city’s zoning code.

Until now, ‘fortune-tellers’ were neither permitted nor forbidden in La Cañada Flintridge, but going forward, anyone interested in opening a psychic shop may do so, as long as they obtain a city permit, and locate within specific commercial zones.

According to the La Cañada Valley Sun, though there was some debate last summer, as to whether ‘fortune-telling’ was pure entertainment or a service, council ultimately chose the service label.

La Cañada Valley Sun quotes the mayor as saying,

“Some people think it’s just a fun thing, and some think it’s a serious service. I can’t tell you who’s right or wrong, but to accommodate that, we put it down as a service.”

I’m glad they did.

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I’m a little slow on the draw, but I wanted to follow up on last year’s post about Patricia Moore-King’s challenge to Chesterfield County, Virgina’s Fortune-Telling ordinances …

Earlier this year, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals decided in favor of Chesterfield County, and against Moore-King’s claims that her First Amendment rights and Right to Equal Protection and Religious Land Use were being violated.

Though the Court rejected an earlier court decision, which claimed that telling fortunes was ‘inherently deceptive speech’, it rejected Moore-King’s main arguments.

It determined that Chesterfield County’s fortune-telling license and zoning regulations, though more stringent than for other businesses, are appropriate and within legitimate governmental interest.

You can read the full decision here.

It’s been on the books in Australia’s Northern Territory for almost 300 years now, but the Witchcraft Act of 1735 will soon be no more.

Though it hasn’t been enforced in a long, long time, this law makes Tarot reading, witchcraft, and sorcery illegal in the Territory.

Anyone convicted of such activities could technically face a mandatory one year in jail, and the possibility of being pilloried at the market every three months during the sentence.

Yes, that’s right, pilloried. Locked down on a pillory while your fellow citizens throw assorted fruits and vegetables at you.

Fortunately, after a review of the law, Attorney-General John Elferink thought the sentence rather harsh and has decided to repeal the legislation.

Thank goodness!

Click here to listen to the ABC News report on this story.

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There’s good news for anyone who might be interested in opening a psychic business in La Cañada Flintridge, California.

According to the La Cañada Valley Sun, last week, the City Planning Commission unanimously recommended categorizing psychic businesses as ‘offices or business’, and to allow them to operate on a conditional use permit anywhere in the city.

I’m not sure if it means readers can open up shop just yet, but it’s a good start.

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Last week, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen for Mount Carmel, Tennessee approved on first reading a new ordinance requiring background checks for anyone wishing to do psychic business in town.

According to Jeff Bobo of TimesNews.net, the new ordinance specifically focuses on “clairvoyants, hypnotists, spiritualists, palmists, phrenologists and handwriting analysts for the purpose of fortune-telling.”

In order to open a psychic business, the new rules require an applicant and their employees to first undergo a fingerprinting background check.

No one who is presently charged with, or has been convicted in the last ten years, of “felonies or misdemeanors involving assault, theft, extortion, fraud, bribery, false personage, perjury or gambling” will be eligible for a fortune-teller permit.

I understand that the people of Mount Carmel want to protect themselves from frauds, etc., but I wonder what prompted Karen Combs, the Kingsport principal planner who proposed the new rules, to take such a strong proactive stand against ‘fortune-tellers’ in particular.

Do they pose such a singular threat?

If the town needs to beef up their anti-assault, theft, extortion, fraud, bribery, false personage, perjury or gambling laws in general, they should. But focusing specifically on psychic readers seems odd, especially since there are none presently working in Mount Carmel, a town of about 5,500 people.

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen will consider the second and final reading of this ordinance at the end of June.

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