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Measure B: Voters Decide Porn Actors Should Be Required To Wear Condoms

Yifan Zhu, Xueqiao Ma |
November 7, 2012 | 5:24 a.m. PST

Staff Reporters

Voters in L.A. County backed a measure that would require adult film actors to wear condoms. (Xueqiao Ma/Neon Tommy)
Voters in L.A. County backed a measure that would require adult film actors to wear condoms. (Xueqiao Ma/Neon Tommy)
Voters in Los Angeles County approved a measure on Wednesday that would require porn actors to wear condoms during movie shoots.

Measure B, which passed with more than 55 percent of the vote, would also make adult film studios apply for film permits and allows the county Department of Public Health to lead efforts to enforce the law.

Porn advocates are concerned that passage of Measure B could drive the adult movie industry out of L.A. County. They are seeking to use the courts to block the measure's requirements from being enforced.

“We would fight it, and fight the implementation of it," Marci Hisch, the vice president of video production at Vivid Entertainment said before the votes were finalized. "If it does pass, we would have to [shoot] outside of L.A. County.”

Some actors have prepared themselves for the possibility of filming movies outside the county.

“I have no idea what will be the future, but I am OK to shoot outside L.A.,” said Alex Chance, an adult movie performer who jumped into the industry in 2011.

Members of the adult movie industry said, moving forward, they will communicate more with the community to educate people on the business side of porn.

“[We need to] educate the community about our good business practices and that we are neighbors, we are great employers, community members and we are a vital industry for this community,” said Diane Duke, executive director of freespeechcoalition.com.

Relocating out of L.A. County could mean an increase in the cost of filming.

"We may have to move to O.C., Malibu, maybe San Francisco to make films," said adult filmmaker Jimmy Broadway.

One adult film actress said health concerns should not persuade voters to support Measure B because the industry does constant testing for sexually-transmitted diseases.

"We do STD tests for HIV every 14 to 28 days," Alex Chance said. "You show me your test, and I show you my test. I don't think they should vote for yes."

 

Read more of Neon Tommy's coverage of the 2012 election here.



 

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