CANOGA PARK, Calif.—The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has issued a statement saying it was notified today by the L.A. City Administrator’s Office that the L.A. City Council has referred development of enforcement strategy for the city condom ordinance to the Arts, Parks, Health & Aging Committee.
Until recently, the development of an implementation and enforcement strategy had been charged to the City Administrator-appointed Working Group on the City of Los Angeles Safer Sex in the Adult Film Industry Ordinance. At the last meeting of the working group on May 11, the group postponed submitting the results of a report that would have recommended protocols for enforcing condom use on adult productions.
A few days later, it was widely reported that the working group had requested a 90-day extension of presenting the results of the report.
The trade association further stated that though it is unclear why the issue has been referred to the Arts, Parks, Health & Aging Committee—which is made up of three L.A. City Council members: Councilmen Richard Alarcon (7th District), Tom LaBonge (4th District) and Ed P. Reyes (1st District)—it will continue to aggressively provide input to the implementation process in order to make sure the best interests of the industry are represented to city officials.
“This is an issue of great importance to the industry and Los Angeles taxpayers,” said executive director Diane Duke. “City officials need to hear adult industry members’ concerns around the condom ordinance.
“Meanwhile," she added, "AIDS Healthcare Foundation continues to spend millions on collecting signatures to put the condom ordinance on the L.A. County ballot in November. There have been no transmissions of HIV on an adult production set since 2004. In a lawsuit filed by AHF against L.A. County, the county already established that adult productions pose no threat to public health. AHF’s efforts not only squander donor funds that could be utilized for the prevention and treatment of HIV, but also waste valuable tax dollars that are desperately needed elsewhere.”
