Santa Cruz Police Captain Clarifies Public Nudity Laws

Apparently the only time public nudity is illegal in Santa Cruz is if there is obvious sexual gratification from the act. The recent sighting of a nude lady downtown has piqued public interest.

...we asked (Captain Steve) Clark if, say, 20 naked people walking downtown were not violating the legal definition of lewd behavior, would they be allowed to proceed unmolested?

Based on the two factors, yes, he said.

"People believe it's against the law, but it's not," Clark said, adding that what happened with the naked lady might have been disturbing, especially to families with children, but was not illegal.

Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked