The Innocence Act is a proposed bill designed to strengthen protections against the distribution of obscene or harmful materials to minors and the unauthorized use of individuals' likenesses in sexual images. It introduces a civil cause of action for victims of nonconsensual dissemination of private or fabricated sexual images, allowing them to seek injunctive relief, compensatory and punitive damages, and reasonable attorney's fees. The bill also clarifies the definition of "victim" and introduces the term "fabricated sexual image," which refers to altered images depicting individuals in sexual contexts.

Additionally, the bill imposes stringent age verification requirements on organizations providing access to materials considered obscene or harmful to juveniles, mandating that they verify users' ages and block access if verification fails. Organizations are required to delete any identifying information collected during the age verification process immediately after it is completed. The legislation also establishes penalties for noncompliance, classifying violations as a first-degree misdemeanor, and outlines definitions for key terms while detailing the penalties for nonconsensual dissemination of sexual images, which can be elevated to felony offenses under certain conditions. The bill repeals existing sections of the Revised Code that conflict with its new provisions and emphasizes the severability of its components.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 2307.66, 2917.211, 2981.02