'Snookiville' Law Would Allow TV Production Regulation

Worried that your town may become the next Snookiville? Well, a bill introduced Monday aims to arm New Jersey municipalities with the right to regulate reality TV shows.  

Dubbed the "Snookiville Law," the bill introduced by Assemblyman Ronald Dancer (R-12) would allow towns to impose conditions on shows like the "Snooki & JWoww" production that began filming in Manchester in August or the previous installments of "Jersey Shore" that filmed in Seaside Heights and Toms River.

“The popularity of MTV’s 'Jersey Shore' and other reality shows can attract crowds to a community,” Dancer said in a news release. “That can be great for local businesses and a costly challenge to a town’s ability to control crowds and protect public safety." 

The bill would allow towns to adopt licensing ordinances or impose certain regulations on the production, such as requiring producers to ensure public safety by paying for an additional police presence, according to the release.

Filming of "Snooki & JWoww" was initially rejected by Toms River and Point Beach, and 495 Productions pulled out of Morristown to finally settle down at a home in Manchester. Although Manchester residents report that the guidettes have been relatively quiet neighbors, the Jersey Shore cast developed a reputation for causing trouble in Seaside during the filming of their reality series, which concluded this summer.

"[The law] will help local officials make sure that the attention reality stars like Snooki and JWoww bring to their town benefits local residents and businesses,” Dancer said in the release.

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