Kentucky Governor Signs Age Verification Legislation

FRANKFORT, Ky.—Kentucky is the latest jurisdiction in the United States to adopt legislation requiring mandatory age verification for all adult websites. Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear signed the bill into law today. It is expected to enter force 90 days after the state legislature adjourns, meaning the age-gating provisions will become effective in mid-July.  The age verification requirements in the bill were attached through a floor amendment to an already existing, bipartisan child protection measure that had nothing to do with regulating legal pornography initially.  House Bill (HB) 278, which was already advanced through the House of Representatives, originally prohibited school superintendents and administrators from hiring any person "convicted of an offense that would classify the person as a violent offender, a sex crime ... or who is required to register as a sex offender." This portion of the bill also applies to some individuals charged with specific misdemeanors.  Republican Sen. Gex Williams of Verona introduced Senate Floor Amendment 3 and successfully advanced the bill through its third reading two weeks ago with the floor amendment attached. Sen. Williams’ amendment reaffirms the Kentucky General Assembly's position that pornography is a public health crisis, despite the fact that porn is not considered a public health crisis by most public health experts and medical and psychology practitioners. Kentucky joins the ranks of 11 other states to have age verification requirements on the books. The move by Sen. Williams mirros that of North Carolina lawmakers in 2023 who attached age verification legislation through a floor amendment to a bill that had absolutely nothing to do with regulating legal pornography. The law was adopted, signed into law, and touted as a bipartisan effort. Aylo, the parent company of Pornhub, ended up blocking North Carolina.