SACRAMENTO — Calif. Assemblyman Isadore Hall's latest bill to mandate barrier protection for all porn productions shot in the state recently moved forward at the state Capitol.
AB 1576 on Friday was referred to two legislative panels — the Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism and Internet Media and the Committee on Labor and Employment — for further action.
This is the third time that Hall has attempted to push through mandatory barrier protection; last year, he sponsored two pieces of legislation in unsuccessful bids to mandate condom use in the adult production industry.
All of Hall's bill that seek regulatory intervention in the industry have been denounced by adult entertainment trade group Free Speech Coalition and a majority of stakeholders in the industry.
"Assemblymember Hall was unable to pass AB 332 and AB 640 by session's end in 2013," Free Speech Coalition CEO Diane Duke told XBIZ. "Now he is bringing forth AB 1576.
"No matter the bill number, California legislators understand that the industry's protocols work. There have been no onset transmission of HIV, nationwide, in 10 years, Los Angeles County sees approximately five new cases of HIV daily.
"California legislators also understand how detrimental it would be to have adult production leave the state, taking with it thousands of living wage jobs as well as millions in revenues from local businesses who provide services for those productions."
Hall, meanwhile, said on Tuesday that he remains steadfast in getting a porn-condom bill passed.
"The multiple HIV and STI outbreaks within the adult film industry in 2013 along with the three self-imposed filming moratoriums only strengthened the need for a mandatory statewide condom requirement in adult films," Hall told XBIZ.
"AB 1576 has been written to address fiscal concerns raised this past year and I am hopeful that the adult film industry will join me in protecting the health and safety of this industry's workers."
Pending approval by the Labor and Employment Committee, Hall's bill will be referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Then, pending its approval, it will be voted on by the full Assembly.
Pending approval by the full Assembly, the bill will be referred to the Senate and go through a similar policy and fiscal review process before a final vote. If approved by both wings of Legislature, the bill would go to the governor's desk for his veto or signature.
