Lone Star State lawmakers seem to believe grinding on the gridiron is becoming a Texas-size problem. The state House of Representatives approved a bill on Tuesday that would ban sexually suggestive cheerleading at middle and high school athletic games and events.

"I feel very strongly that the inappropriate, sexy dance routines I've been seeing for a few years now are unacceptable," Representative Al Edwards (D-Houston), who drafted House Bill 1476, said Wednesday (May 4). "It's not conducive to good, healthy, moral cultural development."

Edwards said he's gotten calls from parents who are embarrassed to bring their young children to sporting events where cheerleaders will be present out of concern for what they'll be exposed to. "This has gone on so long that it seems like something we should just accept, but we don't have to accept it," he said.

If the bill is made law, school dance, drill and cheerleading teams, in addition to other performance groups, will be prohibited from performing in a manner that is "overtly sexually suggestive" at a school-sponsored athletic or extracurricular event. Performances deemed questionable can be subject to review by the state education commissioner, and if judged inappropriate, the district can take action against the group and its sponsor.

Civil-rights advocates say the measure is unnecessary since Texas law already prohibits public lewdness on or near a school campus. Will Harrell, director of the ACLU of Texas, told the AFP, "This broad, morally restrictive legislation reminds me of the Taliban. Why not go all the way [then and] require them all to wear a burka?"

Karen Halterman, vice president of the National Cheerleaders Association, believes coaches and administrators already mandate what is appropriate. "Honestly, I think 98 percent of our schools represent their communities in a very appropriate manner," she said. "The focus of the NCA has been on development of the whole student athlete, and we believe the vast majority of teams represent their schools and communities with pride and decorum."

Teams competing at NCA can face penalties if they don't follow strict safety guidelines that include directives on "age-appropriate" choreography. Halterman says one of her organization's main concerns is that cheerleading performances be family-focused, since their contests are televised to a national audience.

"Cheerleading is a healthy, amazing, athletic activity, and that's what we want people to focus on and be proud of," Halterman said.

The bill is expected to pass the Senate early next week and be handed to Republican Governor Rick Perry.