FSC: Prop 60 Now Opposed by Over 55 California Newspapers

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 05, 2016 -- More than 55 California newspapers have now come out against Proposition 60, the controversial adult film initiative on California’s November ballot, says the Free Speech Coalition. The initiative would give every California resident the power to sue adult performers, and collect a cash bounty, if they see an adult film without a condom.

Fifty-six papers have now formally opposed Prop 60, including the editorial boards of all of the state’s 10 largest papers. Proposition 60 has also been opposed by the state’s Democratic and Republican parties, hundreds of public health and civil rights advocates, and thousands of performers.

The Los Angeles Times says the “heavy-handed Proposition 60 would deputize every Californian as a condom cop … an extreme approach — and demonstrably counterproductive.”

The Orange County Register says Prop 60 “could be exploited by people trying to damage a controversial business or earn a cut of a resulting fine.”

The Sacramento Bee says Prop 60 could create “an all-out war, in the courts and by the state, ... which could just drive performers further underground and make them less safe.”

The San Francisco Chronicle says Prop 60’s condom requirement “doesn’t make sense” and “invites legal bounty hunting. Also performers, who often use screen names, could have their identities and addresses made public, a feature that invades privacy and could lead to harm from porn-addled stalkers.”

“We see broad opposition to this measure from editorial boards across the state, and across the political spectrum,” says Eric Paul Leue, campaign manager for No on Proposition 60, Californians Against Worker Harassment. “Performers and public health experts have spoken out about how dangerous and misguided this measure is, and we call on voters to help us defeat it on November 8.”

A full list of the 56 editorial boards that have endorsed “No on 60” below:

Aptos Times
Bay Area Reporter
Capitola Soquel Times
Culver City Observer
Chico Enterprise-Record
Chico News & Review
The Daily Californian (Berkeley)
The Daily Breeze (Torrance)
The Daily Democrat (Woodland)
Daily Press (Victorville)
The Desert Sun (Palm Springs)
East Bay Times (Oakland/Contra Costa County)
East Bay Express
Glendale News-Press
Hanford Sentinel
The Fresno Bee
La Opinión (Los Angeles)
Long Beach Press-Telegram
Los Angeles Daily News
Los Angeles Times
Orange County Register
Oroville Mercury-Record
Palo Alto Weekly
The Madera Tribune
Marin Independent-Journal
Marin Magazine
Merced Sun-Star
Mercury News
The Modesto Bee
Monterey County Herald
Pasadena Weekly
Redland Daily Facts
The Record (Stockton)
Riverside Press-Enterprise
The Sacramento Bee
Sacramento Observer
Sacramento News & Review
Santa Barbara News-Press
San Diego City Beat
San Diego Free-Press
The San Diego Union-Tribune
San Jose Metro
San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Bay Guardian
San Francisco Examiner
San Gabriel Valley Tribune
San Luis Obispo Tribune
San Mateo County Times
San Mateo Daily Journal
Santa Clarita Valley Signal
Santa Cruz Sentinel
Santa Rosa Press-Democrat
Scotts Valley Times
The Argonaut (Los Angeles)
Ventura County Star
Whittier Daily News

Proposition 60 has also been opposed by the California Democratic Party, the California Republican Party, the California Libertarian Party, over fifty local and issue-based political clubs, over a hundred HIV/AIDS organizations, doctors and civil rights advocates, as well as the performers groups APAC and APAG. Nearly two thousand performers are actively campaigning against Proposition 60 by speaking out at campuses, farmers markets and on social media, as well as participating in political rallies and protests.

Current polls show the measure tied, with 40% in favor, 40% opposed, and 20% of voters undecided.

ABOUT FSC

The Free Speech Coalition is the national trade association for the adult entertainment and pleasure products industries. Its mission is to lead, protect and support the diverse adult entertainment community.

CONTACT:
Mike Stabile
Communications Director, No on Proposition 60
[email protected]
818.650.1973