Condoms must be worn in porn: LA decides

Los Angeles actors starring in pornographic movies are now required by law to wear condoms during any filming, The New York Times reported.

The Los Angeles City Council approved the new mandate, the first law of its kind in the United States according to advocates. Although it is only in effect within the Los Angeles city limits, it could have a significant impact on the billion-dollar industry.

The industry has been criticized over the last few years after several porn stars were infected with HIV, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The new law will allow the LA Police Department to perform spot checks on any set after a film permit is issued, The Times reported. According to the Police Department, California’s workplace safety agency and city’s attorney’s office will make recommendations on how to implement the policy. It goes into effect in 90 days.

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The LA City Council voted 9-1 on the measure, which was proposed after the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which gave an initiative for the ballot that would have asked voters to decide if condoms should be required at porn film shoots, Reuters reported. LA would have spent $4 million in order to hold the election and city officials decided a decision among the council would save the city the money.

The measure will go to the mayor next for his signature. But many industry officials have condemned the law, saying it is an unneeded exercise and cannot be correctly enforced, the Associated Press reported.

"The only thing that the city could potentially achieve is losing some film permit money and driving some productions away, but you can't actually compel an industry to create a product that the market doesn't want," said Christian Mann, general manager of Evil Angel Productions, one of the industry's biggest makers of porn films, the AP reported.

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According to Mann, consumers, especially overseas, refuse to buy films with condom usage.

Porn industry representatives also see it as an intrusion and the group hasn’t ruled out lawsuits or other measures to fight the requirement, the LA Times reported.

"We're looking at all of our options and talking to the industry heads," said Diane Duke, of the San Fernando Valley-based Free Speech Coalition, a porn industry lobbying group, the LA Times reported."The government is intruding into the sexual behavior of consenting adults."

Duke called for performers to have a choice in whether they want to use condoms or not. AIDS Healthcare Foundation President Michael Weinstein has pointed out many porn stars want to use condoms, including Jenna Jameson, and they are already used in gay porn.

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