AHF and Hall’s Mandatory Condom Bill AB640 Dead for This Session

FSC is pleased to report that AB640, a bill into the California Legislature that would have mandated adult performers use condoms will not make it out of the 2013 Legislative session.

“Thankfully, science won over scare tactics.” said Diane Duke, CEO of the Free Speech Coalition. “Three performers did test positive for HIV in the past month, but none of them contracted it on an adult set. Politicians tried to use concern about HIV to push through a mandate opposed by both performers and producers. ”

AB 640 had originally been a tobacco bill, but was gutted and amended by Assembly Member Isadore Hall when his original mandatory condom bill, AB332, failed to pass out of the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

“We need to make sure that performers are safe,” said Duke. “We have not had an on-set transmission of HIV in the adult industry in nine years, and we should always be vigilant. But this was a bad bill that would have made things worse.”

The bill rested in the Senate Rules Committee as the 2013 Session of the California State Senate came to a close just after midnight Friday morning.

"A number of people put forth a great deal of effort, to make sure this bill would not see the light of day," Duke stated. "From our coalition partners to the performers and countless industry members who showed up in Sacramento to protest, we owe you all a debt of gratitude. This was truly a team effort, thank you."