BOISE, Idaho — Idaho is the latest state to declare porn a “public health hazard.”
Yesterday, Idaho lawmakers voted unanimously to adopt HCR 50.
The resolution calls for recognizing the need for education, prevention, research and policy change to combat the use of pornography, and also encourages “all state agencies, local governments and Idaho political subdivisions” to take steps to ensure that pornographic materials can’t be accessed through their internet connections.”
State Rep. Lance Clow, who authored the measure, said he modeled Idaho’s resolution on one from Utah.
Clow said “communities, state and nation are being harmed at an epidemic rate” over online porn, according to the Idaho State Journal.
“It’s not the weight of law, but it is a statement that says we as a society need to start paying attention to this stuff,” Clow said.
Idaho now joins a handful of states that have recently passed similar measures.
More than 14 state legislatures are considering the “Human Trafficking Prevention Act” or a variation of it. It has been introduced in the following states — Hawaii (Version 1, 2), Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, New Jersey (Assembly, Senate), New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee (House, Senate), Virginia and West Virginia (Senate, House).
Wyoming lawmakers last week rejected a measure to declare porn a “public health hazard.”
