A Record Turnout for Monday's Porn Tax Hearing in Sacramento

SACRAMENTO — In a larger than expected turnout Monday, especially for state legislators, 150 people from the adult entertainment industry showed up at the state Capital to voice their opposition to AB 2914, a bill sponsored by Assemblyman Charles Calderon (D-City of Industry) that would impose a 25% excise tax on all adult products in the state.

The occasion was a public hearing of the Assembly Revenue and Tax Committee, chaired by Calderon, during which testimony was presented by both supporters and opponents of the bill.

According to a Free Speech Coalition (FSC) press release issued yesterday, "Testifying in favor of the bill were representatives from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department and county Health Departments, a 'sex addiction' expert and two ex-performers from the Pink Cross Foundation."

FSC and ACE of California, the trade association of California’s adult nightclubs, organized those testifying against the bill, a group that included researcher Bryant Paul, AIM Executive Director Sharon Mitchell, Industry First Amendment lawyer Gill Sperlein, Performer Kayden Kross, retired police officers and others.

According to Diane Duke, Executive Director of FSC, legislators at the hearing were surprised to see so many people from the industry in attendance, and a few were not altogether pleased.

"I almost felt like they were irritated that we were there," she said. "I wanted to stand up and say, 'Look, you work for us.'"

Duke also expressed indignation at the nature of the testimony in support of the bill.

"The people Calderon got to testify were very inflammatory," she said, "and were telling lies about the industry; that people were committing suicide and that drugs were rampant on the set. Of course, we had people from the set there to testify that [those things] are not happening."

Adult performer Kross, for instance, had a decidedly different view.

"Everything they said is untrue from my experience," she testified, adding that neither drug use nor prostitution are a big part of adult entertainment today. "We make more money shooting on camera than we make as prostitutes. There's no reason to be a prostitute as an adult performer."

Sperlein, counsel for Titan Media, added during his testimony that performers would be kicked off a Titan set if they came to work stoned.

As large as the adult entertainment presence turned out to be Monday, it was not the only industry testifying against AB 2914.

"We were not alone in this," Duke told XBIZ. "The California Chamber of Commerce was there testifying against this, as were the cable companies. It was just great."

Duke recounted one moment during the hearing that she said was truly memorable for those in attendance, and in a larger sense illustrates the challenging nature of the legislative process.

"After Calderon spent all of this time putting all of these people on [to testify] about how horrible our industry is, he actually said, 'I don't know anything about the adult entertainment industry,' at which point you could hear a collective gasp throughout the room. And here he is, proposing a 25% tax on us?"

As dramatic as that moment was, the outcome of the hearing was decidedly anticlimactic, as a final vote on the bill was not taken, but the action that was taken on AB 2914 was in some respects far worse for Calderon than a straight up or down vote.

"The bill went to the committee 'Suspense File,'" the FSC press release stated, "where it remains, because Mr. Calderon does not yet seem to have enough support to pass the bill out of his own committee."

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Federal Appeals Court Vacates FTC 'Click to Cancel' Rule Pending Review

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit on Tuesday vacated the Federal Trade Commission’s “click-to-cancel” rule aimed at making it easier for consumers to cancel online subscriptions, pending further review.

Elegant Angel Premieres Nicole Kitt Showcase 'Cats Eye'

Nicole Kitt gets the spotlight in a new four-part showcase release from Elegant Angel.

Sexpo Australia Relaunches as SexEx

Sexpo Australia founder David Ross has relaunched his adult lifestyle expo as SexEx.

Private Releases 'The Love Hotel 2'

Private has released “The Love Hotel 2,” directed by Dave Menich.

Orion Unveils New Styles From 'Svenjoyment Bondage' Line

Orion Wholesale has released two new styles from its Svenjoyment Bondage line.

Ember Fiera, Jesse Pony Headline 'TS Girls Do It Best' Sequel From TransSensual

Ember Fiera and Jesse Pony topline the sequel to “TS Girls Do It Best” from Mile High Media studio imprint TransSensual.

Khloe Kapri, Melissa Stratton Topline 'Lesbian Trainer 3' From Sweetheart Video

Khloe Kapri and Melissa Stratton headline the third volume of “Lesbian Trainer” from Mile High Media studio imprint Sweetheart Video.

NYC Adult Stores Lose Challenge to Zoning Law, May Face Relocation

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit on Tuesday upheld a lower court’s decision to allow enforcement of a 2001 zoning law aimed at forcing adult retail stores out of most parts of New York City.

FSC Drops Florida AV Lawsuit in Wake of SCOTUS Decision

A U.S. district court judge granted on Tuesday a motion by Free Speech Coalition to dismiss the trade association’s lawsuit over Florida’s age verification law, a case that had been on hold pending the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on the constitutionality of state AV laws.

Gal Ritchie Toplines Dorcel's 'Pigalle'

2025 XMAs winner Gal Ritchie stars with Clara Mia in the latest feature from Dorcel, titled “Pigalle.”

Show More