Appropriations Committee to Hear AB 332 on May 24

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Assembly Bill 332 wasn’t heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Wednesday.

But the Safer Sex legislative measure will be voted on by the Appropriations panel on May 24, according to Terry Schanz, press secretary to Assemblyman Isadore Hall, who sponsored the bill.

Karen Tynan, the attorney representing adult industry opposition to AB 332, said she was not able to deliver her statement today regarding the potential economic repercussions of the bill, as well as its intrusion into Cal/OSHA’s affairs.

“My testimony was meant to explain and emphasize the incredible waste of taxpayer money that will result if AB 332 is enacted,” Tynan said. “Cal/OSHA has a process where they have stakeholder meetings and attempt to create feasible regulations. We are still in that process with the draft regulations pending revisions. AB 332 demands that the state legislature throw out all that work and start over with the AHF plan.”

“Committee members with adult entertainment businesses in their districts should be reminded that these businesses create jobs, pay taxes, and should have a voice in this process,” Tynan added.

Other industry performers and professionals attended the hearing, including Peter Acworth, Kink.com founder and Free Speech Coalition board member. Acworth was not able to deliver the testimony he prepared.

“We got here at 5:30 a.m. and spent most of the day,” Acworth said. “But we’re happy the bill has been put in suspension. I hope this is the end of the bill. I remain a strong advocate for performer testing and the APHSS.org database system.”

Representatives from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation were not present at the meeting, the FSC reported on its blog.

AB 332 was introduced by Hall in February and mirrors Measure B, which makes condoms mandatory for porn shoots in Los Angeles County.

Last week, former adult actress Lydia Lee and the FSC’s Diane Duke and Joanne Cachapero formed the Adult Performers Coalition For Choice (APC4C), a performer-specific outreach organization dedicated to toppling Measure B and barring the passage of AB 332.

The state Assembly Appropriations Committee consists of its sponsor, Hall, and Assembly members Mike Gatto, Diane Harkey, Franklin Bigelow, Raul Bocanegra, Steven Bradford, Ian Calderon, Nora Campos, Tim Donnelly, Susan Talamantes Eggman, Jimmy Gomez, Chris Holden, Eric Linder, Richard Pan, Bill Quirk, Donald Wagner and Shirley N. Weber.