Walters: Florida CP Bill Goes Too Far

LAKELAND, Fla. — Florida's Legislature on Thursday will decide whether to change its child porn laws to cover virtual child porn, a move that could potentially impact "teen" adult entertainment sites that have young-looking adults who appear to be adults.

Senate Bill 182, scheduled to go before the full state senate Thursday for a final vote, would redefine what constitutes child porn so it includes "any image depicting a minor engaged in sexual conduct or such visual depiction that has been created, adapted, or modified to appear that a minor is engaging in sexual conduct."

The bill, pushed hard by Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, a longtime foe of the production and distribution of any form of pornographic content, picked up speed after two adult men were freed in separate appellate rulings after they had been convicted of child porn for pasting pictures of children's faces on pictures of adult bodies in sexually explicit poses.

Judd and state Sen. Kelli Stargel, who sponsored the bill, have been fighting ever since the appellate ruling to get a bill in place that would cover virtual material involving young-looking adults.

But attorney Lawrence Walters of Walters Law Group says the bill's verbiage goes too far.

"Few would advocate that this type of imagery is 'good' or 'valuable.' And it is always easy for sheriffs and lawmakers to jump on the bandwagon of protecting the children," Walters told XBIZ. "But the First Amendment exists to protect offensive, disgusting and even vile speech. 

"There are many things we could do to make our children safer that would violate the Constitution, like search every student, every day, for drugs and weapons. The government could mandate that all children carry GPS devices so we know where they are at all times. 

"A free society does not guarantee safety. It guarantees liberty, which includes inherent risks. One of those risks is that you might be offended by a cartoon drawing or morphed image that someone creates. 

"The Florida bill substitutes presumed safety for liberty, which is antithetical to our founding principles."

If the state Senate passes SB 182, the bill would go to the governor who could sign the piece of legislation into law.

View SB 182

Related:  

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

FSC Unpacks SCOTUS Age Verification Ruling in Webinar

The Free Speech Coalition conducted a public webinar Tuesday to help adult industry stakeholders understand the Supreme Court’s recent decision in FSC v. Paxton, and its potential implications.

UK Lawmaker Calls for Appointment of 'Porn Minister'

Baroness Gabrielle Bertin, the Conservative member of Parliament who recently convened a new anti-pornography task force, is calling for the appointment of a “minister for porn,” according to British news outlet The Guardian.

FSC Toasts Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Service

n the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.

TTS Opens UK Testing Location

Talent Testing Service (TTS) has opened a new U.K. location in Ware, Hertfordshire.

FSC: Age-Verification Laws Go Into Effect South Dakota, Georgia, Wyoming on July 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a statement regarding new age verification laws set to go into effect tomorrow in South Dakota, Georgia, and Wyoming.

FSC Responds to Supreme Court Decision on Texas AV Law

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has released a statement responding to last week's Supreme Court decision on FSC v. Paxton, the Texas age verification law.

Sex Work CEO Debuts Upgraded 'GPTease' AI Assistant

Sex Work CEO has introduced the new Canvas in-chat editing feature to its AI-powered, NSFW text generator, GPTease.

UPDATED: Supreme Court Rules Against Adult Industry in Pivotal Texas AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday issued its decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, striking a blow against the online adult industry by ruling in support of Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

North Carolina Passes Extreme Bill Targeting Adult Sites

The North Carolina state legislature this week ratified a bill that would impose new regulations that industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

Supreme Court Ruling Due Friday in FSC v. Paxton AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court will rule on Friday in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, the adult industry trade association's challenge to Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

Show More