An Act To Require Age Verification For Online Obscene Matter
This bill requires websites and apps that knowingly distribute obscene online content to verify users are 18 or older using reasonable methods, such as government ID or transactional data. Businesses must not retain any personal information after age verification is complete. It excludes bona fide news broadcasts, public interest content, and services like internet providers, search engines, or cloud hosts that don’t create the content. Violating the bill makes businesses liable for damages - including court costs and attorney fees - if a minor accesses the material, and the Attorney General can enforce it as an unfair practice.
Bill status
failed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
May 2025
Committee Review
Jun 2025
House Passage
Jun 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced May 1, 2025
Last action Jun 17, 2025
Floor votes · House Jun 16, 2025
How they voted
70–62
Passed · 4 other
Total votes 136
Jun 16, 2025
D
Democratic66
98% Yea
I
Independent3
100% Yea
R
Republican67
92% Nay
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
22
Key actions
2
Committee
7
Jun 17, 2025
Committee
Subsequently, the Senate ADHERED whereby the Bill was COMMITTED to the Committee on JUDICIARY.
upper
Jun 17, 2025
Committee
On motion by Same Senator Tabled until Later in Today's Session, pending motion to ADHERE to Bill COMMITTED to the Committee on JUDICIARY.
upper
Jun 17, 2025
Committee
Senator PIERCE of Cumberland moved to ADHERE to Bill COMMITTED to the Committee on JUDICIARY.
upper
Jun 16, 2025
Committee
On motion by Senator CARNEY of Cumberland Bill and accompanying papers COMMITTED to the Committee on Judiciary in NON-CONCURRENCE.
upper
Jun 16, 2025
Committee
On motion of Representative KUHN of Falmouth, the Majority Ought Not to Pass Report was ACCEPTED.
lower
Jun 16, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (70-62-4)
house
Jun 13, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Reported Out - ONTP/OTP-AM
legislature
May 1, 2025
Committee
The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on JUDICIARY pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401.
lower
1 primary · 3 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Katrina Smith
RRepublican
Co
Alicia Collins
RRepublican
Co
Reagan Paul
RRepublican
Co
Rolf Olsen
RRepublican
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