Bill > SF2105

This bill establishes a new age verification requirement for commercial websites that contain material deemed harmful to minors, defined as content that is sexually explicit, offensive, and lacks serious artistic or scientific value. The bill requires websites that feature such material on 25% or more of their pages to verify that users accessing the site from Minnesota are at least 18 years old. Commercial entities must verify age through either a commercially available database or a method approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce. Importantly, any identifying information used for age verification must be immediately deleted and cannot be retained. The bill allows for two primary enforcement mechanisms: the Attorney General can investigate and bring civil actions for violations, and parents or legal guardians of minors can sue websites that fail to properly verify age, with potential civil penalties up to $25,000 per violation. The legislation explicitly does not impose obligations on internet service providers or interactive computer services. The goal of the bill is to protect minors from accessing sexually explicit or inappropriate online content by creating a robust age verification system with meaningful consequences for non-compliance.

Business and Industry

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=Senate&f=SF2105&ssn=0&y=2025