As California’s Porn Condom Bill Heads to Senate, Kink.com Starts Moving Production To Vegas

Opponents of California's controversial AB1576 condom bill feared that the legislation would chase porn companies out of the state and their predictions are already coming true. San Francisco-based Kink.com has already leased office and production space in Nevada. Kink runs more than two dozen membership sites including Bound Gods and Naked Kombat. "Vegas is looking more and more attractive as time goes by," says Kink founder Peter Acworth.

AB1576 was introduced in the California legislature back in February by Rep. Isadore Hall and the bill requires condoms in all adult films made in California. The bill has already passed a couple of voting hurdles and heads to the Senate next month.

Acworth says that Kink has just wrapped production on its first two movies in Vegas and encountered no difficulties, adding, "The cost of doing business there is lower. The resources are slowly moving there. It’s becoming easier to do business."

In a statement, Ackworth says that he knows of a dozen adult companies that have already set up satellite offices in Vegas with some starting filming after Los Angeles' Measure B condom law took effect in 2012.

The Kink.com statement goes on to say: "While Nevada requires condoms for prostitution, because of contact with the untested general public, it has no such requirements for adult film, where all participants are regularly tested for STIs."

"We don’t want to move out of California," said Acworth, "but we will if we have to. This bill not only denies performers' choice; it would effectively render most existing adult film production illegal."

Aside from chasing businesses out of California, opponents say the legislation will push porn production underground resulting in the very unsafe work-place conditions supporters say the bill will prevent. Performers have repeatedly requested meetings with proponents of the bill to discuss worker-supported legislation, but so far, requests have not been granted.