Idaho Legislature Passes Republican Age Verification Bill With Full Democratic Support

Idaho Legislature Passes Republican Age Verification Bill With Full Democratic Support

BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho legislature has passed the state’s version of the age verification bills being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists.

HB 498 originated in the state House as a partisan Republican initiative, but was passed by the House and the Senate without any opposition from Democratic lawmakers.

Democratic Sen. James Ruchti supported the Republican bill, stating, “It’s well-written, it’s got detail. The sponsors seem to have thought of all the contingencies. It’s going to be used against a corporation that has disseminated this material.”

Ruchti did not mention which corporation the law was designed to target, but around the country Republicans have broadly admitted during debates and press statements that the goal of the current age verification campaign is to specifically target Pornhub, which is owned by Aylo.

The bill requires age verification for websites if material that Idaho deems “harmful to minors,” including all adult content, constitutes at least one-third of a website’s content. If signed into law by Republican governor Brad Little, as is expected, HB 498 will take effect July 1.

“Our kids are continuously exposed to pornography, and our current laws don’t effectively protect them,” said the bill’s Senate sponsor, Ben Toews. “What you have before you is an effective solution. It uses third-party age verification as a way to block that content from children.”

The bill “would create a private cause of action, allowing minors and parents to sue in civil court for statutory damages of at least $10,000 and injunctive relief to stop the website from allowing minors to access the harmful content,” the Idaho Reports news site reported.

Copyright © 2025 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

Choice Talent Management Launches Fan Platform 'ChoiceFilmz'

Choice Talent Management CEO Chris Crisco has launched a new fan platform called ChoiceFilmz.

Dredd to Launch Official Site

Dredd has announced his new website OfficialDreddXXX.com, launching April 20.

New Pleasure Product Review Site 'ToyChats' Launches

ToyChats.com, a pleasure product review and discussion site, has officially launched.

AEBN Reveals Jade Venus as Top Trans Star for Q1 of 2025

AEBN has named its top trans stars for the first quarter of 2025, with Jade Venus landing atop the leaderboard.

SexLikeReal Debuts 'AI Passthrough' Feature

SexLikeReal has introduced an AI Passthrough for video editing during VR livestreaming.

Ron Jeremy's Accusers Reach Settlement With Rainbow Bar & Grill

The Rainbow Bar & Grill has reached confidential settlements with a group of women who filed a negligence lawsuit against the Sunset Strip restaurant over alleged sexual assaults committed by Ron Jeremy, according to Rolling Stone.

Cherry Kiss, Jordan Starr Top AEBN for Q1 of 2025

AEBN has announced its top-selling stars for the first quarter of 2025, with Cherry Kiss landing atop the leaderboard for straight theaters and Jordan Starr heading up the gay rankings.

Sportsheets Joins FSC as Gold Member

Sportsheets has joined Free Speech Coalition (FSC) as a Gold-level member.

Age Verification Watch: Two End Runs, Two Failed Bills

Industry stakeholders and free speech advocates have anxiously been awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, which could significantly impact state age verification laws around the country. In the meantime, state legislatures continue to weigh and pass AV bills, AV tech providers continue to tout their services, and legal challenges continue to play out in the courts — with some cases on hold pending the SCOTUS ruling in Paxton.

FSC Helps Defeat Colorado AV Bill

Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has announced that, with its help, Colorado's recently introduced age verification bill has been defeated.

Show More