BURLINGAME, Calif. — The California Republican Party has voted to oppose a state ballot initiative that would allow private citizens to sue adult performers if a condom is not visible in an adult film.
Eric Paul Leue, executive director of the Free Speech Coalition, said Republicans were disturbed about the California Condoms in Pornographic Films Act’s fiscal impact, as well as its enforcement mechanism.
That mechanism would allow any Californian who views an adult film without a visible condom to file a lawsuit against performers and others involved in the production and distribution of the film.
The ballot proposal has been widely opposed by performers, producers and public health advocates.
“No worker in any other industry faces this type of harassment from the public,” Leue said. “The initiative empowers stalkers, harassers, anti-porn activists, profiteers and crusaders, while leaving actual performers more vulnerable. This initiative could open the door to similar measures for other industries.”
California's Legislative Analyst’s Office, which evaluates ballot measures for fiscal impact, predicts the bill will cost state taxpayers tens of millions of dollars each year in lost revenue as performers and production companies move outside the state, Leue said.
Leue said the ballot measure is so bad it has been opposed on both sides of the political spectrum. San Francisco Democrats voted to oppose the measure last month.
“It’s one of the rare political issues where Democrats and Republicans agree. The [ballot measure] is misguided, dangerous, costly and terrible for California.”
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