The bill amends section 1345.51 of the Revised Code and enacts new sections 1349.07 through 1349.074 to establish age verification requirements for software applications in Ohio. It creates a consumer protection enforcement fund that will include all civil penalties ordered under the new sections, which will be used to cover expenses incurred by the consumer protection section of the attorney general's office. The new sections define key terms such as "account holder," "age bracket data," and "application," and outline the responsibilities of operating system providers and developers in collecting and sharing age-related information to ensure that content is appropriate for users, particularly minors.

Under the new provisions, operating system providers must provide an accessible interface for account holders to indicate the age of users and share this information with developers. Developers are required to request age signals when applications are downloaded or updated and must treat these signals as primary indicators of a user's age. The bill also establishes penalties for non-compliance, with civil penalties ranging from $2,500 to $7,500 per affected child, depending on whether the violation was negligent or purposeful. The enforcement of these provisions will be the sole responsibility of the attorney general, and the bill is set to take effect on January 1, 2027.

Statutes affected:
As Reported By Senate Committee: 1345.51