Summary
House Bill 245 deems anyone who manufactures, sells or distributes an internet enabled device in this state that does not contain blocking software to violate the existing law for distributing obscenity, which is subject to up to one year in prison. There is no provision in the bill for creating a process to unblock non-obscene material or to request blocking of obscene material that the blocking software failed to filter.
This bill is based on a model bill drafted by the Human Trafficking Prevention Act (HTPA) campaign. The campaign’s goal is to block access to sexual material and other content on the internet by enacting laws in all the 50 states and Congress to force manufacturers, distributors and retailers to install and activate filtering software on any device that allows access to the internet. In 2017, 14 HTPA bills have been introduced in 12 states. Click here to learn more about the campaign.
Status
HB 245 died in Appropriations Committee on February 3, 2017.
Analysis
>>The filter can only be deactivated by an adult who goes through a four step process:
- The adult makes a written request.
- Presents identification proving he or she is 18 or older.
- Acknowledges receiving a written warning of the potential dangers of deactivating the filtering software.
- Pays a $20 “access” fee.
The written warning is to be written by the attorney general.
History
- The bill was introduced on January 25, 2017 but died in the Appropriations Committee on February 3, 2017.