One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Condoms In Porn Ballot Initiative Will Go to L.A. Voters in June
Photo by mathom via Shutterstock
Should adult performers be made to wear condoms in their films? The decision is going to be in your hands come June, after a signature-gathering effort secured the initiative a spot on the June ballot.
Los Angeles City Clerk June Lagmay confirmed December 23 that the condoms in porn ballot initiative, called the City of Los Angeles Safer Sex In The Adult Film Industry Act, has qualified for the ballot.
The ballot initiative campaign is backed by AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), who secured nearly twice as many signatures as needed.
However, it's not a clear-cut victory. Earlier this month, L.A. City Attorney Carmen Trutanich filed suit against the initiative, claiming the measure is unnecessary and will waste taxpayer money.
While state laws already exist mandating workplace safety, as stated in the City Attorney's lawsuit, AHF spokesman Ged Kenslea says these laws are not enforced. "Trutanich argued that only the state — not the city — could legally impose rules requiring the use of condoms on porn sets and charging fees to pay for inspections," notes the L.A. Times.
But Trutanich doesn't exactly have the state's support in this case. The head of the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, thinks L.A. can take on this mandate just fine:
"We don't see a bar to the city or the county doing what they need to do," Widess said in a telephone interview Monday evening. "We believe the city can use its authority to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS among people involved in the adult film industry."
Sponsored message
The City Attorney's Office will present a judge with a request for an expedited ruling schedule Thursday and hopes to have an opinion on the suit against the initiative by late January, reports City News Service.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
