Condom Enforcement Law Forces Out Porn Industry From Los Angeles

The porn industry in the Los Angeles area has seen a massive dip since a law, Measure B, mandating performers to wear condoms while filming was passed in 2012.

According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, the number of films shot in Los Angeles has gone down by 90 percent since the law was passed. This has left many employed in the industry jobless and pushed the industry to other areas like Latin America, Eastern Europe, Florida and Las Vegas.

One estimate says the industry gave jobs to an estimated 20,000 people.

Film LA, the license issuing agency, reveals that only 20 films have sought permission to shoot in the first seven months of 2014. The agency says that this translates into a  loss of $456,000 in revenues to local government, reports the Los Angeles Times.

Paul Audley, the president of Film LA, described the decrease in permits in LA County as "dramatic", telling the LA Times, "It is a cause for concern that people who are manning the cameras, lights and other things on those sets are not working anymore," reports the Independent

San Fernando Valley was the hub of the porn industry and thousands of movies were shot in the area before the law was passed.  In 2011 , 5000 porn movies were made.

Measure B, was passed by LA County voters in November 2012, to prevent AIDS  from spreading among porn performers.

But people from the industry say that the law is unnecessary as the film makers themselves enforce strict checks and every performer has to undergo HIV testing every two weeks.

The industry says their audiences are not keen to watch movies where condoms are used, hence the industry has relocated.

Earlier this year, the porn industry shut down twice after two of its performers tested positive for HIV but their partners' tests came out negative. This has reinforces the AIDS campaigners who say that the risk is self evident.

There are reports that California state law makers want to enforce the law throughout the state.