The proposed bill aims to enhance age verification requirements for websites that host material deemed harmful to minors. It amends existing laws to define terms such as "covered platform" and "reasonable age verification," which includes methods for confirming an individual's age, such as using state-issued identification or credit card information. The bill mandates that covered platforms implement reasonable age verification to prevent minors from accessing harmful content, with violations classified as a Class 1 misdemeanor for the first offense and a Class 6 felony for subsequent offenses.

Additionally, the bill establishes penalties for non-compliance, including civil penalties of up to $5,000 per incident for minors accessing harmful material. It also outlines a process for the attorney general or state's attorney to notify covered platforms of violations before pursuing legal action, allowing them to rectify issues within a specified timeframe to avoid penalties. Importantly, the provisions do not apply to general-purpose search engines, internet service providers, or cloud service providers, thereby limiting the scope of the law.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 01/03/2025: 22-24-27, 22-24-29, 22-24-58