A New Kind of Mandatory Belt Law

By a vote of 60 to 34, the Virginia House of Delegates has approved a bill that would fine people $50 for wearing low-riding pants that show off their underwear in a "lewd or indecent manner." The bill's author, Delegate Algie T. Howell Jr. (D-Norfolk), explained that "it's not an attack on baggy pants….To vote for this bill would be a vote for character, to uplift your community and to do something good not only for the state of Virginia, but for this entire country."

The Washington Times dryly reports that "it's not clear if the fine would apply to plumbers, carpenters or other laborers who have problems with low-riding pants." Opponents warned that the law (which has not been considered by the state Senate yet) would become an excuse to harass young black men, disproportionately fond of the drawers-above-the-waistband style. It also would be a warning to seductive interns, helping Virginia's politicians avoid embarrassing sex scandals.