Calif. Legislators to Hear Adult Industry Tax Bill

CANOGA PARK, Calif. — The FSC today announced that Assembly Bill 1551, a bill that would impose a tax on all California-based adult companies to ameliorate supposed “secondary effects," will be heard Monday, July 9, by the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee.

The FSC, formally known as the Free Speech Coalition, asserted that the claims of the legislation’s supporters concerning negative secondary effects caused by adult businesses are baseless.

“Our Legislative Records Act request revealed that the author had no evidence whatsoever to support the claims of adverse secondary effects in his legislation,” FSC state lobbyist Matt Gray said.

The amount of the proposed tax is undetermined at this time, but the FSC said that the tax would “occur multiple times on the same product, both while in inventory and at the time of sale,” and that every time the same item changes hands, the tax would again be collected.

FSC Executive Director Diane Duke told XBIZ that the legislation was one of the primary targets of FSC lobbying during Free Speech Lobbying Day in April of this year, and “now it is time to put the connections we made then to work.”

“We’d like to kill this bill in committee,” Duke said. “This is [state assemblyman and bill author Charles] Calderon’s committee, so we’d really like to defeat it there.”

This is not the first time Calderon, D-Whittier, has proposed taxing the adult industry; according to Duke, Calderon’s previous attempt to pass such a tax “went down in flames.”

“He didn’t get a single vote,” Duke said of Calderon’s 1999 bid to tax California’s adult businesses, an effort Calderon undertook when he was a state senator. “We have no idea why he would want to try this again.”

While the bill would only result in the direct taxation of adult companies in California, Duke said that the effects of the tax would be felt across the industry, and would set a bad precedent for other states to follow.

“If it happens in California, it will pave the way for it happening elsewhere,” Duke said. “This is dangerous for the country.”

Currently, the hearing is scheduled to take place at the State Capitol building in Sacramento, before the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee at 1:30 p.m. in Room 126. The FSC urged that people double-check the schedule as it is subject to change.

Duke called on members of the adult industry to show support for the FSC’s lobbying efforts. Duke said that letters to Assembly members, Fiona Ma, D-San Francisco, and Mike Feuer, D-West Hollywood, in particular, would be most helpful.

“We feel certain we can defeat this,” Duke said, “And a show of support from the industry would help a lot.”

For more information on the legislation and the FSC’s lobbying efforts against it, call the FSC at (818) 348-9373.

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Justices Alito, Thomas Invoke Victorian-Era Morality Law, Raising Censorship Concerns

Several national publications reported this week on widespread concern among Free Speech advocates after U.S. Supreme Court Justices Samuel Scalia and Clarence Thomas repeatedly invoked during a hearing the infamous segregation-era law the Comstock Act, which was the cornerstone of U.S. censorship of sexual material from the 1870s until the 1970s.

TeamSkeet Releases 1st Installment of 'Ripe for the Taking'

TeamSkeet has released the first installment of its latest feature, "Ripe for the Taking," starring TeamSkeet March AllStar Scarlett Alexis.

Pineapple Support Appoints Kasey Kei as Brand Ambassador

Pineapple Support has appointed veteran performer and content creator Kasey Kei as its latest brand ambassador.

Nebraska AV Bill Moves Forward Despite Privacy, Free Speech Concerns

Nebraska’s unicameral Legislature has given first-round approval to LB 1092, the state’s version of the age verification bills being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists.

Eva Maxim, Katrina Colt Headline 'Cumming to LA' From Cherry Kiss

Eva Maxim and Katrina Colt star with Vince Karter in 2021 XBIZ Europas Female Performer of the Year Cherry Kiss' "Cumming to L.A.," from Evil Angel.

Performers in Meta Blacklisting Lawsuit Seek to Preserve Antitrust Claims

Adult Performance Artists Guild board officers Alana Evans, Kelly Pierce and Ruby have informed a California court that, although they want to drop their lawsuit claiming that Meta conspired with OnlyFans to blacklist rival premium fan platforms’ talent, they may still pursue antitrust claims in the future.

Skylar Snow Headlines 'Infidelity 4' From Sweet Sinner

Skylar Snow toplines "Infidelity 4," the latest release from Mile High Media studio brand Sweet Sinner.

Serenity Cox Stars in 'Enjoy It' From MILFY

Serenity Cox stars with Alberto Blanco in "Enjoy It," from Vixen Media Group studio imprint MILFY.

Melissa Stratton Stars in Finale of Wicked's 'So Extra'

Melissa Stratton and Robby Apples star in the final scene from Wicked Pictures' "So Extra."

BiPhoria Drops Jim Powers' 'Saying GoodBi'

BiPhoria has released director Jim Powers' "Saying GoodBi."

Show More