Bill > HB691

This bill creates a new legal requirement for commercial entities that publish or distribute pornographic or sexually explicit content on the internet to implement robust age verification methods before allowing users to access such materials. Specifically, the bill mandates that websites containing more than one-third sexually explicit content must verify that users are at least 18 years old through either government-issued identification or commercially reasonable methods using transactional data. Commercial entities must use these age verification systems and are prohibited from retaining any identifying information after granting access. If a minor accesses such material due to the commercial entity's failure to implement proper age verification, the entity can be held liable for damages, including court costs and attorney's fees. The bill provides detailed definitions for key terms like "material harmful to minors" and "reasonable age-verification methods" and includes exemptions for news organizations and internet service providers. The legislation aims to protect minors from accessing sexually explicit online content by creating legal accountability for website operators who do not effectively verify user ages.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB691&year=2025&code=R