An AIDS advocacy group argued that L.A. County 'has passively observed an ever-growing epidemic' in the industry.
"For over a decade, county health officials have talked, watched, written and analyzed. What county health officials have not done is act."
UPDATE 3/18/10: Cal/OSHA votes unanimously to create committee to study proposal requiring condoms
UPDATE 2/3/10: L.A. County won't force condoms on porn stars
-- From "Judge dismisses petition requiring the use of condoms in porn films" by Kimi Yoshino, Los Angeles Times 12/23/09
A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking a court order to compel county public health officials to require condom use on porn sets or take other reasonable steps to stem the spread of disease.
Judge David P. Yaffe rejected the petition, noting that the county has broad discretion in how it oversees public health.
The AIDS advocacy group sued the county in July. The action came weeks after an adult-film actress tested positive for HIV and county health officials released data that showed 18 HIV cases and more than 3,700 cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis had been reported since 2004 by a San Fernando Valley-based clinic that mainly serves the porn industry. Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation officials said at the time that the majority of the cases did not involve working adult film performers.
Last week, the group delivered a petition to the state Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board, asking for a change in regulations to explicitly address adult film production. The petition seeks to require condom use or other methods, including simulated sex acts. If adopted, the regulation would effectively ban "bareback" scenes, or those without condoms, which make up the majority of porn production. The department will review the matter, then make a recommendation to the board early next year on whether the regulations should be amended.
Current state regulations require employers to protect workers from blood-borne pathogens and other bodily fluids.
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