A fourth actor has tested positive for HIV in the Los Angeles porn industry, reigniting the debate of California's condom law.
In November, the Free Speech Coalition, an industry trade group responsible for regulating STD testing for performers, cited $456,000 loss in revenue to the local government because of less film permits being filed.
The trade group blamed the Los Angeles "condom law" was hurting the industry.
"Only 24 permits for adult films have been filed so far in Los Angeles County in 2013, compared with 480 filed in the same period last year, according to the porn industry trade group Free Speech Coalition, citing a report by the film-permitting agency FilmLA," the Los Angeles Times reported.
However, on Dec. 6 the industry trade group announced the a fourth performer tested positive for HIV, just four months after the first positive test was announced.
"Are we still going to be having this argument when there's the 10th shutdown or 20th? Or the 50th infection?" Michael Weinstein, president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, advocacy group fighting for statewide condom rule, told the LA Times.
Though there are advocacy groups pushing for the statewide condom law, one just ruled in August such a law would be unconstitutional, according to Businessweek.
"Given that adult filming could occur almost anywhere, Measure B would seem to authorize a health officer to enter and search any part of a private home in the middle of the night, because he suspects violations are occurring," U.S. District Judge Dean Pregerson wrote in his ruling. "This is unconstitutional because it is akin to a general warrant."
The adult film actor who recently tested positive for HIV has remained anonymous.
"We want to remind those who would point fingers - either at the performer or his or her work - is that HIV is a virus, not a moral issue," the Free Speech Coalition stated on their website. "It affects all people, and all populations, and occupations; all of them deserve compassion. Whoever this performer is, he or she is one of our own, and should be treated with the same respect and dignity that we'd want for ourselves in this situation. "
