LA Dept. of Public Health: Prop 60 Would Drive Adult Entertainment Industry Underground

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health says that Prop 60, the controversial Adult Film Initiative, "would further drive the adult entertainment industry underground or to places that offer few protections for adult film workers." While not a formal opposition to the measure or an endorsement, the analysis of the proposition was provided to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

Proposition 60 would allow any resident of the state to file lawsuits against adult productions where a condom isn't visible, and collect a portion of any fines assessed. This would leave adult film producers, and many times performers, as the target of for-profit litigation and harassment.

After Measure B was passed in Los Angeles, permits for adult film production dropped 95 percent in the course of the year. The LADPH notes that Measure B limited the ability of the department to monitor STIs in the industry, and provide appropriate interventions. Prop 60, the LADPH says, could have the same affect, and work against performer health and safety.

The text of the analysis below:

"The Department of Public Health reports that implementation of Proposition 60 would further drive the adult entertainment industry underground or to places that offer few protections for adult film workers. DPH notes that since the enactment of Measure B, there has been a decrease in number of entities filing for a film permit through DPH. According to DPH, this has limited the opportunity for DPH to monitor disease transmission and to provide appropriate interventions to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.

In absence of disease control measures, DPH reports that there could be an increase in the number of sexually transmitted diseases. The magnitude of the increase would be extremely difficult to determine and to react to if adult film production is driven further underground. The DPH indicates that this could have the opposite of the desired effect of the ballot initiative, which is to increase the health and safety of adult film workers."
-"Updated Overview of the November 8 General Election Ballot Measures," Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors

Proposition 60 is the only ballot measure opposed by both the California Democratic Party and the California Republican Party. It has been opposed by over 50 local and issue-based political clubs; over 45 newspaper editorial boards (including each of the state's ten largest papers); over 100 HIV/AIDS organizations, doctors and civil rights advocates; and the performers' groups APAC and APAG. Over the past several months, nearly 2,000 performers have actively campaigned against Proposition 60 by speaking out at university campuses, farmers markets and on social media, as well as leading political rallies and protests.