Calif. Assembly Appropriations Committee Passes AB 1576

SACRAMENTO—After nearly an hour and a half of hearing testimony from both supporters of AB 1576, the mandatory "barrier protections" in porn bill, and its opponents, the California Assembly's Appropriations Committee, chaired by Mike Gatto, passed the bill, though with several "nay" votes. It will now go to the full California Assembly for consideration, though just when that will occur, since the legislature is due to be on recess beginning on May 27, is not yet known. In support of the bill, the committee heard from many of the same witnesses who spoke before the Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism and Internet Media Committee two weeks ago. Those included Isadore Hall III, the bill's sponsor, AIDS Healthcare Foundation representative Rand Martin, former adult performers Cameron Bay and Rod Daily, as well as UCLA's Adam Cohen. In addition to more than two dozen adult performers and support staff, opponents who spoke included attorney Karen Tynan, adult actress/filmmaker Lorelei Lee, Free Speech Coalition CEO Diane Duke, Stuart Waldman, chair of the Valley Industry & Commerce Association, and several others. For a more complete account of today's Appropriations Committee hearing, check back to AVN.com later this afternoon.