On the heels of the news of two recent HIV infections found in adult film performers working in California’s multi-billion dollar porn industry, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) will host a press teleconference TODAY, Thursday, September 5th at 2:00 PM Pacific Time to announce a stepped up campaign targeting California Assemblymember Mike Gatto (D, 43rd District), Chair of the Assembly’s Appropriations Committee, who is single-handedly blocking a California bill to protect the health of adult film workers throughout the state.

As Appropriations Chair, Gatto put a hold on AB 640, authored by Assemblymember Isadore Hall, III, (D, 64th District), which will require adult film performers to use condoms in adult film productions shot anywhere in California.

As part of AHF’s campaign, 100,000 telephone robo-calls are blanketing Gatto’s Southern California district (including Atwater Village, Burbank, Glendale, Hollywood, La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Los Feliz, Montrose, and Silver Lake) urging his constituents to call Gatto and demand that he free AB 640 from his hold and let it come to a vote immediately before anyone else is harmed. The pre-recorded calls are voiced by Derrick Burts, a former adult film performer infected with HIV while working in the industry in 2010, and Rebekka Armstrong, an HIV-positive Playboy Bunny.