Condoms in porn bill (AB 332) clears CA Assembly Labor Committee

In News by AHF

 

California Assembly Bill 332, Rep. Isadore Hall’s bill to require condoms in all adult films made in California, cleared the Committee on Labor and Employment in the California Assembly in a bipartisan 5 to 0 vote earlier today and now moves on to the Assembly Appropriations Committee
SACRAMENTO (April 24, 2013) – California Assembly Bill 332, a landmark bill to require condoms in all adult films made in California, cleared the state Assembly’s Committee on Labor and Employment earlier today in a bipartisan five (5) to zero (0) vote (with Republican Assemblymember Jeff Gorell from the 44th Assembly District in Ventura joining four Democrats voting in favor of the bill). Assemblymember Isadore Hall, III (D-Los Angeles) from California’s 64th Assembly District, authored the bill, which he introduced in mid-February. AB 332 now moves on for hearing in the legislature’s Appropriations Committee. On April 9th, the bill cleared its first legislative committee, the Assembly’s Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism and Internet Media Committee, in a five to one vote.

Last year, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the sponsor of Hall’s legislation, successfully spearheaded Ballot Measure B, the ‘County of Los Angeles Safer Sex in the Adult Film Industry Act,’—more informally known as the ‘condoms in porn’ measure, which Los Angeles County voters approved by a 57% to 43% margin in the November 2012 election. Measure B requires producers of adult films to obtain a public health permit from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and pay a permit fee sufficient for necessary enforcement and follow all health and safety laws, including condom use by performers. AB 332 will expand upon the workplace protections now required in Los Angeles County to protect all adult film actors throughout the state of California.

“Today’s bipartisan support for AB 332 shows that the Legislature is committed to protecting the health and safety of all workers in California,” said Assemblymember Isadore Hall, III. “I am especially thankful for today’s compelling testimony by actors in the industry. They showed courage in raising their voices to protect fellow actors. Most importantly, they showed the Legislature that AB 332 is important public policy that will protect the health and safety of all Californians.”

“To date, the industry has not been able to persuade anyone but themselves that the industry should be able to profit on their performers’ work without providing basic protection,” said Whitney Engeran-Cordova, Senior Director of Public Health for AHF. “We thank the Labor Committee for its swift and favorable action on this bill today. AB 332 does what only this legislature can do: give clear direction to CalOSHA to settle definitions surrounding worker safety measures on adult film set workplaces throughout California. This is common sense. This is good public policy. And it protects California workers simply trying to do their jobs.”

“In November, Los Angles voters overwhelmingly passed a similar County measure requiring condoms and other safety measures on adult film sets throughout Los Angeles County, said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. “AB 332 will now expand and broaden worker protections for all California’s adult film workers on a statewide basis. We are grateful that Representative Hall has shown the courage—and the vision—to recognize that workers in the adult film industry are entitled to the same safeguards and worker protections that any employee in California is, and we will do what ever we can to help pass this legislation.”

Hall’s legislation will provide statewide uniformity needed to ensure that the thousands of actors employed in this multi-billion dollar industry are given reasonable workplace safety protections needed to reduce exposure to HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

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