Mississippi Republican Introduces Copycat Age Verification Bill

Mississippi Republican Introduces Copycat Age Verification Bill

JACKSON, Miss. — A Republican state senator in Mississippi has introduced a copycat bill patterned after the Louisiana state law that mandates age verification for websites featuring pornographic content.

Sen. Nicole Boyd (R-Oxford) introduced Senate Bill 2346, which was approved by the Mississippi Senate Judiciary B Committee yesterday.

SB 2346 would “hold liable any commercial entity that disseminates pornographic material and doesn’t perform ‘reasonable’ age verification,” conservative news site The Center Square reported.

The bill would “exempt news gathering organizations and internet service providers from liability under the bill,” The Center Square noted.

During the committee hearing, Boyd acknowledged that she had met with Louisiana Senate President Pro Tem Beth Mizell (R-Franklinton) to discuss Louisiana’s recent Act 440, that state’s age verification law championed by religious anti-porn therapist and legislator Laurie Schlegel (R-Matairie).

Boyd explicitly pointed out that she modeled Mississippi’s SB 2346 after the Louisiana legislation. The senator claimed that her bill “would require the sites to delete private information after access has been granted to protect against data breaches,” The Center Square reported.

“We don’t let people get alcohol or cigarettes before the age of 21,” Boyd told the committee. Then, holding up her iPhone, she warned, “Your teenagers and younger children have access to pornography at their fingertips. I was shocked at the prevalence of pornography among our teen population.”

Boyd has built a reputation in Mississippi as a “women, children and families” GOP expert and was recently tasked by the governor with “mapping out what the next chapter of the pro-life agenda should be,” Christian news website the Daily Journal reported.

A Tsunami of Republican Copycat Bills

Last week, Arkansas state senators Tyler Dees (R-Siloam Springs) and Jim Petty (R-Van Buren) introduced another copycat bill, Senate Bill 66, requiring age verification before “entering a website offering pornography.”

The bill includes the senators’ definition of what kinds of material would constitute pornography, and mandates that “any website with over 23.33% of its material meeting the pornography description” institute age verification.

The Mississippi bill is heading to the State Senate floor, where it will have to be approved before Feb. 9 to be sent to the House.

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Adult Web Hosting Service 'Midnight-Host' Launches

Midnight-Host, a new web hosting service designed specifically for adult websites, has launched.

ASN Lifestyle Magazine Joins Pineapple Support as Media Sponsor

ASN Lifestyle Magazine has joined the ranks of over 60 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support, partnering with the organization as a media sponsor.

Adult Industry Reacts to Trump Victory

On Tuesday, former President Donald Trump was reelected, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris to reclaim the office he lost four years ago.

Fetisfy Online Fetish Marketplace Launches

Fetisfy.com, an online marketplace for users to sell fetish items, has launched.

Pineapple Support Launches 'Spill the Tea, Colombia' Community Support Event Series

Pineapple Support has launched "Spill the Tea, Colombia," a monthly, in-person community support event for adult industry professionals.

Streamster Launches 'Tip2Peep' Camera-Switching Feature

Live-streaming software provider Streamster has launched Tip2Peep, a new feature that allows viewers to switch between multiple webcam viewing angles by tipping the creator.

Tyler Wu Guests on Chaturbate's 'Sex Tales' Podcast

Tyler Wu is the latest guest on Chaturbate’s “Sex Tales” podcast, hosted by Melissa Stratton and Vanniall on the company’s “Camming Life” YouTube channel.

Fleshy to Launch Interactive Cam Site 'Eromote'

Male pleasure brand Fleshy has announced that it will launch an interactive, bidirectional cam site next month called Eromote.

XBIZ LA Show Introduces New 'Crib Crawl' Feature

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the 2025 edition of its flagship conference, the XBIZ Show, will debut a brand-new feature: Crib Crawl, offering attendees the chance to meet and greet representatives from leading brands and organizations in dedicated suites at the host venue.

Pre-Nominations Now Open for 2025 TEAs

The pre-nomination period for the 2025 Trans Erotica Awards (TEAs) is now open.

Show More