California Porn Condom Use Bill — Proposition 60 rejected

Californians have finally put the Proposition 60 debate to rest. The bill, had it been passed, would have allowed the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration to take legal action against pornographic films that didn't visibly use condoms.

Proposition 60 would have allowed any California resident to sue porn actors and directors and access their contact information. The bill raised concerns over the possibility of frivolous law suits and safety of performers, and had been protested by the adult film industry, with many porn sites blocking access to users in California till the bill was shot down.

Free Speech Coalition chief executive Diane Duke said: “If the proposed initiative were to pass, adult performers would immediately be targeted by stalkers and profiteers, who would use the initiatives' sue-a-performer provision to harass and extort adult performers. This is an unconscionable initiative that would take a legal and safe industry and push its performers into the shadows.”

Of the 86 percent votes counted at the time of writing, the ballot measure was trailing 54 percent against the motion.

The proposition was introduced and backed by Michael Weinstein, founder of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, who the New York Times called “the most hated man in the AIDS business” in November 2015. The bill was mired in more controversy when the San Jose Mercury News claimed the pro-Proposition 60 commercials were lying about the privacy impact of the bill.

California laws already require adherence for the industry to a sexual wellness program, which requires actors to pass HIV and STD tests every 14 days.