A state proposal that would require actors who have sex on camera to wear condoms will be reviewed by an advisory committee before the Cal/OSHA board votes on the measure.
The six member board met at Costa Mesa City Hall Thursday and voted unanimously to create a committee to study the issue. The hearing drew a crowd of supportive adult entertainment actors, producers and directors.
Still to be sorted out is whether any new Cal/OSHA regulations would apply to independent contractors. They would clearly apply to porn stars under contract to a company, but freelancers who go from project to project may not be covered.
Michael Weinstein, president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, told the board members that his organization will seek the stricter regulations in every state where sexually explicit movies are produced, so the industry cannot move to another state to duck California's rules.
"We will follow them anywhere and everywhere," Weinstein said.
Some actors told the board horror stories about unsanitary conditions on sets and how they contracted diseases as a result.
Madelyne Hernandez, who went by the name Michelle Avanti, said she got gonorrhea and chlamydia, and was once compelled to do a scene with 75 men when she was told it would only be a few.
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"When I got there there was a whole line of men," Hernandez said. "I called my agent, crying, and he said I'd be blacklisted if I didn't do it. And I really needed the money at the time ... I was given cocaine and alcohol to get through the scene."
Cal/OSHA officials will form an advisory committee in the coming weeks that will hold public meetings, Cal/OSHA spokeswoman Erika Monterroza said.
