California passes law on removing actors' age from sites

California Governor Jerry Brown has signed a legislation requiring entertainment database sites, such as IMDb, to remove an actors age if requested by an artiste.

The legislation, authored by Majority Leader Ian Calderon (D-Whittier), was signed into law on Saturday by Brown, according to the governor's website, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

The law, which becomes effective from January 1, applies to database sites that allow paid subscribers to post resumes, headshots or other information for prospective employers. Only a paying subscriber can make a removal or non-publication request. Although the legislation may be most critical for actors, it applies to all entertainment job categories.

"Even though it is against both federal and state law, age discrimination persists in the entertainment industry," Democratic Majority Leader Ian Calderon said in a statement.

"AB 1687 provides the necessary tools to remove age information from online profiles on employment referral websites to help prevent this type of discrimination," Calderon added.

SAG (Screen Actors Guild)-AFTRA -- which represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other media professionals -- also issued a statement appreciating the new move.

"On behalf of everyone in the industry who has struggled with age discrimination, whose opportunities to showcase their talent may have been blocked, I want to thank Brown and the bill's author, assembly member Ian Calderon," said SAG-AFTRA's Gabrielle Carteris.

Carteris added: "Jerry Brown today stood with thousands of film and television professionals and concerned Californians who urged him to sign AB 1687, a California law that will help prevent age discrimination in film and television casting and hiring."

--IANS

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