House Bill 931 establishes new regulations aimed at enhancing age verification measures for online access to materials considered harmful to minors. It introduces a new section, 282.803, which defines key terms such as "application store," "child," "covered application," and "covered manufacturer." Starting January 1, 2026, developers are required to assess the likelihood of their applications being accessed by children and notify application stores accordingly. They must also provide parental controls for managing children's usage. Covered manufacturers are tasked with determining the age of the primary user upon device activation and ensuring parental consent is obtained for children under 16 downloading applications. The bill also amends existing laws to revise definitions and age verification methods, mandating that commercial entities use digital age verification methods to confirm user ages.

Additionally, the bill outlines penalties for non-compliance, including civil penalties of up to $50,000 per violation, and grants the Attorney General authority to enforce these regulations. It includes provisions for device-based age verification, requiring manufacturers to implement age verification measures in operating systems and application updates by July 1, 2026. Websites and online services hosting harmful materials must block access for users under 18 and provide content disclaimers. The legislation also clarifies exemptions for certain entities, such as news organizations and internet service providers, and emphasizes that covered manufacturers must avoid anti-competitive practices in implementing age verification measures. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
H 931 Filed: 501.1737