Los Angeles voters to decide on mandatory condom use in porn films

Voters in Los Angeles county are set to vote on whether or not actors in porn films should be required to wear condoms.

A ballot measure will be put to voters during November's elections.

Election officials said the measure had gathered sufficient signatures in order to be put to the vote.

The measure is an attempt by the campaign groups, including the Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF), to expand a county level ordinance requiring condom use as a condition of being given a filming permit within LA.

The county level ordinance is still under discussion as officials consider how to implement the law.

Around 370,000 signatures were submitted by supporters of the new initiative - far in excess of the number required to force a vote. However, the move has faced opposition.

Speaking to the Los Angeles Times a spokeswoman for the Free Speech Coalition, a porn industry pressure group, said the proposed measures “were clearly the government interfering where it really doesn't belong.”

A number of adult production companies have threatened to move from California because of the new requirement. In the past porn film production in the area has been suspended because of Aids scares.

However, Michael Weinstein, president of Aids Healthcare Foundation one of five groups which spearheaded the poll push - said,

"You really couldn't ask for a better opponent than porn producers.

Any amount of money they spend (to defeat the measure) would backfire because people have a low opinion of porn producers."