The "Protection of Minors from Pornography and Obscenities Act" aims to amend South Carolina's obscenity laws to better protect minors from harmful materials. The bill revises the definitions of "harmful to minors" and "material" in Section 16-15-375 to include any portion of materials that may be considered obscene, as well as introduces a definition for "profane language." Additionally, it clarifies that the affirmative defense for disseminating harmful material to minors is limited to the teaching of age-appropriate sex education and human biology curriculum, as outlined in Section 16-15-385.

The bill seeks to close existing loopholes that allow for the dissemination of materials containing obscene or profane content to minors by emphasizing that any such content, regardless of its context, is prohibited. It also specifies that the affirmative defense does not apply if the parent or guardian is exhibiting harmful material for their own gratification, and it excludes school and classroom libraries from the legitimate functions that allow for such defenses. Overall, the legislation aims to strengthen protections for minors against exposure to inappropriate content.

Statutes affected:
02/11/2026: 16-15-375, 16-15-385
Latest Version: 16-15-375, 16-15-385