Thumbs down: No on Prop 60

As if this year’s election wasn’t tawdry enough already, voters are being asked to decide whether the state needs to take a more active role in ensuring that condoms are used in the production of pornographic movies. We’re probably not far off in guessing that plenty of Californians would rather be deciding whether our state would be better off without this particular industry. But that isn’t the subject of Proposition 60.

California workplace safety regulations already require condoms in porn movies. But the rules are enforced on a complaint basis, and Proposition 60’s sponsor says that isn’t adequate. The initiative would allow anyone who files a complaint to follow up with a lawsuit - and collect up to 25 percent of any penalties assessed - if Cal/OSHA, the state workplace safety enforcement agency, doesn’t act in a timely manner. If it passes, this initiative could force Cal/OSHA to give pornography complaints higher priority than other workplace safety issues, and it still could clog the courts with lawsuits about dirty movies. Vote no on Proposition 60.