The Missouri House of Representatives has passed legislation that would require pornographic websites to verify its visitors are at least 18 years old.
House Bill 1839 would apply the requirement to websites with at least one-third of their content contains pornography or other materials deemed harmful to children. It is sponsored by State Rep. Sherri Gallick, R-Belton.
“If we know children are being exposed to harmful content and we do nothing, that is on us,” she said before this week’s House vote. “Age verification puts a door where there is no door today, and it codifies the ruling by the (Attorney General’s) office in statute.”
State Rep. LaKeySha Bosley, D-St. Louis, voted for the bill, but said age verification should be expanded to guns and ammo.
“We talk about age verification,” she said from the Missouri House floor. “You want these people to upload their IDs, but you don’t even require them to show their IDs when they’re trying to buy ammunition in your cities and in your counties. You don’t even require them to have a database to make sure that the kids are how old they say they are.”
The House passed the bill 125 to 19, with nine House members voting “present.” The proposal is now moving to the Missouri Senate.
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