Massachusetts H 3818

Requires that content-sharing platforms verify the following before allowing users to upload explicit content:

  • all persons depicted were at least 18 at the time of production
  • all persons depicted provided written consent for each sex act portrayed
  • the uploader obtained written consent to distribute the content

Latest Action: Referred to Joint Committee on the Judiciary on April 30, 2023
Deadline: January 2, 2024

Bill Status
Introduced
Passed First Committee
Passed First Chamber
Passed Both Committees
Passed Both Chambers
Signed
Enacted
More Info
Read the Bill: MA H 3818
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Louisiana SR 170

Creates the Task Force on Crime Against Nature by Solicitation, to study the effects of enforcement of the crime against nature by solicitation statute, and to propose recommendations, together with specific proposals for legislation, if the task force deems it necessary or appropriate.

Provides that the task force consists of the following members:

(1) Three representatives of Operation Restoration, appointed by the president of the board of directors, one of whom will be designated by the president to serve as chairman for the initial meeting.

(2) One member of the La. Senate, appointed by the president of the Senate.

(3) A representative from the office of the governor, appointed by the governor.

(4) A representative from the Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections, appointed by the secretary of the department.

(5) A representative from the office of state police, appointed by the superintendent.

(6) A representative from the office of motor vehicles, appointed by the deputy secretary for the office of motor vehicles.

(7) A member of the La. District Attorneys Association, appointed by the executive director.

Provides relative to meetings of the task force, quorum, and voting.

Provides that the task force make any written report of its findings and recommendations by March 1, 2024.

Latest Action: Enacted on June 7, 2023
Deadline:

Bill Status

Introduced

Passed First Committee

Passed First Chamber

Passed Both Committees

Passed Both Chambers

Signed

Enacted

More Info

Read the Bill: LA SR 170
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Louisiana SB 175

The bill creates the crime of "unlawful deepfakes," which prohibits anyone who, with knowledge that material is a deepfake depicting another person, knowingly creates or possesses material that depicts a person engaging in sexual conduct.

The bill also prohibits "unlawful deepfakes involving minors" in Louisiana, which involves the creation or possession of any material depicting a minor engaging in sexual conduct using deepfake technology, and the advertisement, distribution, exhibition, exchange, promotion, or sale of any sexually explicit material depicting a minor using deepfake technology.

The penalties include imprisonment and large fines.

The bill becomes effective on August 1, 2023.

Latest Action: Signed by the Governor on June 28, 2023
Deadline:

Bill Status

Introduced

Passed First Committee

Passed First Chamber

Passed Both Committees

Passed Both Chambers

Signed

Enacted

More Info

Read the Bill: LA SB 175
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Oklahoma HB 2054

Oklahoma HB 2054 modifies the crime of prostitution to include knowingly offering to pay a fee to another person for the purpose of engaging in sexual conduct. The measure makes it unlawful for any person who pays a fee for a sexual encounter to publish a review of that sexual encounter or to publish a review of the pubic area, buttocks, or breasts experienced in the sexual encounter on a website that facilitates, encourages, offers, solicits or promotes sexual conduct with another for a fee. The crime is a felony punishable by not more than 3 years to life imprisonment and or a fine of up to $1,000 for the first offense.

Latest Action: Approved by the Governor on May 22, 2023
Deadline:

Bill Status

Introduced

Passed First Committee

Passed First Chamber

Passed Both Committees

Passed Both Chambers

Signed

Enacted

More Info

Read the Bill: OK HB 2054
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Alabama HB 441

This bill is a copycat of Louisiana's age verification law with a couple of additions:

  • Adult sites would have to register with Alabama and pay a one-time registration fee and an annual license fee each year thereafter. 
  • The Alabama Attorney General can prosecute sites that do not comply, fining them up to $2,000 per violation.

Becomes effective on the first day of the third month following its passage and approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.

Latest Action: Indefinitely Postponed on May 30, 2023
Deadline: June 15, 2023

Bill Status

Introduced

Passed First Committee

Passed First Chamber

Passed Both Committees

Passed Both Chambers

Signed

Enacted

More Info

Read the Bill: version 1 version 2
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North Carolina Pornography Age Verification Enforcement Act

House Bill 534 would enact the "Pornography Age Verification Enforcement Act" or PAVE Act. It would require commercial entities that publish or distribute "material harmful to minors" on internet websites to verify that a person seeking to access the material is 18 by requiring the person to comply with a commercial age verification system that verifies using government-issued identification or public or private transactional data.

The Attorney General would be authorized to conduct investigations of the alleged failure to use a required system and provide the commercial entity with at least 30 days to comply with the requirement. If the entity fails to comply, the Attorney General could initiate a civil action in the Superior Court of Wake County to assess civil penalties. Civil penalties could be assessed as follows:
• $5,000 for each day of violation.
• An additional $10,000 for each violation, at the request of the Attorney General.
Civil penalties collected would be remitted to the Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund.

This act would become effective January 1, 2024, and apply to websites accessed on or after that date.

Latest Action: Passed House Judiciary Committee on May 3, 2023
Deadline: June 30, 2024

Bill Status

Introduced

Passed First Committee

Passed First Chamber

Passed Both Committees

Passed Both Chambers

Signed

Enacted

More Info

Read the Bill: NC H 534
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Kids Online Safety Act 2023

The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) is a well-intentioned bill that attempts to address a serious issue – the exposure of children to harmful material online – in a way that dangerously violates the First Amendment right to free expression. The bill creates significant civil liability —up to $50K per violation — for platforms that fail to prevent minors from accessing “harmful” content.

While the law claims to make clear that it doesn't create an age verification requirement, it does require the National Institute of Standards and Technology to conduct a study evaluating the most technologically feasible options for developing systems to verify age at the device or operating system level, with an emphasis on the privacy of minors. 

Read our KOSA One-Pager

Latest Action: Amended version passed Commerce committee on July 26, 2023
Deadline: January 7, 2025

Bill Status

Introduced

Passed First Committee

Passed First Chamber

Passed Both Committees

Passed Both Chambers

Signed

Enacted

More Info

Read the Bill: US S 1409
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SAFE Banking Act of 2023

This bill generally prohibits a federal banking regulator from penalizing a depository institution for providing banking services to a legitimate cannabis-related business. It also includes language that bars banks from terminating accounts if the reason is solely based on reputation risk.

Latest Action: Introduced on April 26, 2023
Deadline: January 7, 2024

Bill Status

Introduced

Passed First Committee

Passed First Chamber

Passed Both Committees

Passed Both Chambers

Signed

Enacted

More Info

Read the Bill: US SB 1323 US HR 2891
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EARN IT Act (2023)

The EARN IT Act allows federal and state governments to prosecute, and victims to sue, a site or service if CSAM is uploaded onto the platform. While the prevention of CSAM is a worthy goal, under the EARN IT Act, a platform may become legally liable for any uploads of illegal content, no matter how aggressively they work to block it.

Latest Action: Senate Judiciary committee ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably. on May 3, 2023
Deadline: January 7, 2025

Bill Status

Introduced

Passed First Committee

Passed First Chamber

Passed Both Committees

Passed Both Chambers

Signed

Enacted

More Info

Read the Bill: US S 1207 US HR 2732
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North Carolina SB 369 / HB 888

Prohibits banks from denying any person that is engaged in a lawful activity a financial product or service based on a personal, ideological, moral, or political opinion.

Latest Action: Introduced on March 26, 2023
Deadline: June 30, 2024

Bill Status

Introduced

Passed First Committee

Passed First Chamber

Passed Both Committees

Passed Both Chambers

Signed

Enacted

More Info

Read the Bill: NC SB 369 NC HB 888
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