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Mayor Signs Condoms In Porn Ordinance Into Law. Now What?

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On Monday, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa signed into law a controversial measure that makes the issuing of permits for adult film productions linked to the production company's compliance with mandatory use of condoms by their performers.

The ordinance, ‘City of Los Angeles Safer Sex In The Adult Film Industry Act,’became law at the hands of local officials, rather than see it go to the voters, though it had qualified as an initiative for the June 5, 2012 ballot.

So what's next?

According to AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), a major proponent of the law:

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Among the next steps: City Council has directed the City Administrative Officer to form the Working Group. The group is to include: Personnel Department, the City Attorney, the Police Department, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board, and other relevant stakeholders.

Of course, for adult film companies operating in the City of Los Angeles (and, rest assured, there are more than a couple) this could mean they pack up shop and move out of town, as they have threatened to.

As Patch notes, the lone dissenting vote among Councilmembers was from Mitchell Englander, who represents portions of the San Fernando Valley, including Chatsworth. "Much of the nation's multi-billion-dollar adult film industry is headquartered in Chatsworth," adds Patch. Indeed. A legal battle against the new law is already in the works.

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