- 55.9 per cent voted for condoms’ use in all porn films made in Los Angeles
- L.A.’s porn industry criticized the measure fearing the adult film industry will lose business
- 54 per cent of voters rejected ballot measure to abolish capital punishment in the state
- Campaigners said the death penalty, which has been suspended in California since 2006, is costing the state millions in unnecessary costs
- Voters also opted for a softening of controversial ‘three strike’ laws for habitual criminals
Against searing criticism from Los Angeles’ porn industry 55.9 per cent voted for the condoms’ use in a ballot pressed by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation titled Measure B on Tuesday.
The measure would also ‘require producers of adult films to obtain a public health permit from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and pay a permit fee’ to fund its enforcement.
The measure, only affecting films produced in L.A., is modeled after similar health permits applied to tattoo shops, massage parlors and bathhouses.
Opposition in the adult film industry had rallied that the measure’s passing would steer porn production companies outside of the city, stealing business.
While California voters appeared to oppose ending the death penalty, they broadly approved another ballot measure to soften the state’s controversial ‘three strikes’ law, which gives longer sentences to habitual criminals.
The ‘three strikes’ reform measure had received over 68 per cent of the vote after two-thirds of the precincts had declared, and organisers declared victory.
The proposition would let some criminals who have been in jail twice avoid a 25 years to life sentence for a third crime if it is judged to be non-violent and non-serious.
Supporters of the measure argued that filling prisons with people who presented no threat to society is expensive and is often counter-productive in rehabilitating them away from crime.
‘This historic victory overturns the long-held conventional wisdom that it’s impossible to fix our most extreme and unjust crime laws – and hopefully inspires future efforts,’ said campaign spokesman Dan Newman.
However, efforts to abolish the death penalty fell short with just 46 per cent of the vote.
Public opinion in the United States has been moving away from the death penalty, with five states abolishing it during the past decade. Seventeen states and the District of Columbia do not allow the death penalty.
A federal judge halted all California executions in 2006, saying a three-drug lethal injection risked causing inmates too much pain and suffering before death. Executions have not yet resumed.
Despite the suspension of this deterrent, crime in California, like the rest of the nation, has continues to fall dramatically.
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