SPONSOR: Gallick
This bill requires any commercial entity for which it is the regular course of business to publish or distribute in the State a website in which at least 33% of the material published is harmful to minors, as defined in the bill, to verify that any person attempting to access the material is at least 18 years old. After verification, the commercial entity is prohibited from retaining any identifying information of the individual.
A commercial entity required to verify under the provisions of this bill is required to display on its website and certain advertisements for the website, a notice warning of the dangers of pornography and a notice promoting a free helpline for those facing mental health or substance use disorders. The specific language required for the notices are included in the bill.
The bill does not apply to bona fide news or public interest broadcasts or other media and will not affect the rights of a news-gathering organization.
The Attorney General must enforce provisions of the bill. If the Attorney General believes that a violation occurred and an action is in the public interest, the Attorney General can commence an action. If the court finds that a violation occurred, the court can grant relief. Civil penalty awards are described in the bill.
This bill is similar to HB 2921; HB 3015 (2026); and HB 236 (2025).
Statutes affected: