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The Los Angeles County Board of
Supervisors on Tuesday postponed action on a ballot initiative that would
require performers in adult-films produced in the county to use condoms. AIDS
prevention advocates gathered 372,100 signatures in support of the initiative -
140,000 more than required to make it on the ballot.
The board appeared ready to place
the measure on the ballot, but postponed acting until the end of July so
attorneys can investigate jurisdiction and enforcement questions. The ballot
placement deadline is Aug. 7.
“I do believe voters have the right
to vote on it in November, no question about it, but I do think a lot of work
is going to have to be done between now and the passage of this ordinance to
create a path forward for credible enforcement,” said Supervisor Zev
Yaroslavsky.
Under the proposed ordinance,
adult-film producers would have to complete training on blood-borne pathogens
and submit an exposure-control plan before obtaining a health permit. Fees for
the permit would pay for enforcement, with violations carrying fines and/or
misdemeanor charges.
The adult-film industry argues that
viewers do not want to see condoms in films, and that productions may move or
go underground. The industry has been policing itself by frequently testing
performers.
“We know of no other industry in the
state of California where people go on television and say, ‘We’re going to
flout the law,’” said Michael Weinstein, president of AIDS Healthcare
Foundation, which has pushed for the initiative. The industry “is sending a
terrible message that the only kind of sex that is hot is unsafe,” he said. “I
don’t believe these young people’s lives are disposable.”
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
