Republicans
Republicans Behind Oklahoma's New Age Verification Law Gleeful About Potential Pornhub 'Exit'
Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed into law Oklahoma’s version of the age verification legislation being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists.
California Republicans, Democrats Team Up to Advance Age Verification for Porn
Both Republicans and Democrats in the California Assembly’s Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee voted last week to move forward a version of the age verification bills being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists.
Arizona Legislature Passes Age Verification Bill Despite Strong Opposition
The Arizona state legislature on Monday passed the state’s version of the age verification bills being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists, despite vocal opposition from Democratic legislators.
Florida Legislature Passes Sweeping, DeSantis-Endorsed Age Verification Bill
The Florida legislature has passed a sweeping age verification bill that includes provisions applying specifically to adult websites, with Gov. Ron DeSantis calling the bill “superior” to a competing measure he vetoed days earlier.
Kentucky Republicans Revive 'Public Health Crisis' Claims to Justify Anti-Porn Bills
Republican lawmakers in the Kentucky House and Senate are renewing claims that adult content is part of a “public health crisis,” to justify introducing matching copycat versions of the age verification legislation being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists.
South Dakota Republicans Admit Age Verification is Part of National Campaign Against Online 'Filth'
The South Dakota House Judiciary Committee last week voted unanimously to endorse the state’s copycat version of the age verification legislation being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists, which the bill’s backers have described as part of a national campaign to fight online “filth.”
Florida Republicans Combine Age Verification, Social Media Ban Bills
Republican state legislators in Florida have incorporated a copycat age verification bill, introduced by a pastor and based on other laws championed by religious conservatives across the country, into a larger bill that aims to prevent anyone under 16 from using certain social media platforms.
Idaho Republicans Split About Proposed Porn Filter Mandate
Debate in the Idaho state Senate this week, over a copycat bill that would require device manufacturers to enable "pornography filters" on devices used by minors, divided members of the Republican supermajority, 12 of whom voted against the measure.
Indiana Republicans Defund Kinsey Institute
The Republican governor of Indiana signed into law last week a budget amendment defunding Indiana University’s Kinsey Institute, the U.S.’s most historic academic center for sexual research.
Arizona Senator's Anti-Porn Bill Questioned by Fellow Republicans
Arizona state legislators, including several GOP members, have raised serious questions about a Republican senator’s proposal to implement mandatory age verification for adult websites in the state.
North Dakota Republicans' Bill Proposes Total 'Obscenity Control'
A partisan bill introduced by North Dakota Republican state senators would redefine “obscene material and performance” and “explicit sexual material” in extremely broad terms that would result in creating criminal liability for almost all instances of nudity and references to sex outside of adult venues.
Republicans Across the Country Continue Efforts to Redefine 'Prurient' Content
Republicans across the nation continue their ongoing campaign to legally redefine “prurient” — along with other terms like “obscenity,” “pornography” and “harmful to minors” — through diverse pieces of state legislation concerning topics such as online age verification, the purchase of library materials and the zoning of venues allowing drag shows.
The Guardian Probes Religious Motivation of Republican Anti-Sex Bills
The Guardian published a report today probing the religious motivations behind the current Republican effort to put forth “anti-porn bills” at the state level across the U.S.
Arkansas Republicans Rewrite Anti-Drag Bill to Target All 'Adult-Oriented Performances'
The Arkansas House endorsed Senate Bill 43 on Monday, after Republicans amended it to shift the focus of the legislation from restricting “drag performance” to restricting all “adult-oriented performances” in the state.
Utah Republicans Continue Introducing Controversial Age Verification Bills
Republican state legislators in Utah have introduced two controversial age verification bills that could have nationwide ramifications.
Republicans Move Forward With Redefinition of 'Prurient Interest' in Arkansas
Democratic state senators and LGBTQ+ advocates in Arkansas are raising concerns that a proposed bill targeting drag performances would limit the rights of transgender people and also redefine the legal concept of “prurient interest,” which is at the core of recent Republican attempts to reinstate obscenity prosecutions.
Republicans Introduce 'Age Verification' Bill in Arkansas
Two Republican state senators in Arkansas introduced a bill this week requiring age verification before “entering a website offering pornography.”
Virginia Republicans Revive Obscure Anti-Porn Law to Ban Books
Two Republican politicians in Virginia have revived an obscure anti-pornography law not invoked in decades to ask a judge for a restraining order preventing Barnes & Noble from selling certain books the lawmakers find objectionable to minors.
Idaho Republicans Repeat Claims of 'Pornography' in Libraries
Republican state legislators in Idaho announced over the weekend that they will be forming a “working group” to study allegations that the state’s libraries are making “explicit” or “pornographic” materials available to minors.
Texas Republicans Fudge Distinction Between 'Obscenity,' 'Pornography'
Several Texas Republican politicians who have been campaigning against supposed “pornography” in classrooms — including Governor Greg Abbott — were asked by the Houston Chronicle to define the term, but most of them either refused to reply or provided erroneous definitions, conflating the term with "obscenity."