Indiana Governor Signs Age Verification Bill Into Law

INDIANAPOLIS—Indiana is the latest U.S. state to adopt an age verification law specifically targeting adult entertainment platforms. Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb signed Senate Bill 17, among 75 other bills, on March 13. Indiana joins the likes of Louisiana, Texas, Utah, Montana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Virginia and North Carolina. Texas is the most recent state to be geo-blocked by Pornhub. Sen. Mike Bohacek, a Republican representing the community of Michiana Shores, initially introduced the measure to the Senate, with Rep. Joanna King, a Republican of Middlebury, bringing the bill to the House of Representatives. AVN previously reported on Senate Bill 17 and its original text, which featured criminal penalties for age verification law violators. Luckily, the bill was amended to eliminate criminal penalties. However, SB 17 is still technically a copycat measure of other age verification laws introduced throughout the United States, starting in Louisiana. "This is going to go a long way to making sure our kids are not viewing this content," Bohacek said when the bill passed the Senate in January, according to the Indianapolis Star. Since then, the Indiana chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has expressed concern that Senate Bill 17 is unconstitutional.