Arizona Legislator Proposes Copycat 'Porn Filter' Bill

Arizona Legislator Proposes Copycat 'Porn Filter' Bill

MESA, Ariz. — A Republican state representative in Arizona has introduced legislation mandating that tech companies activate some form of “porn filter” by default on any device sold in the state, mimicking a controversial bill passed in Utah last year.

The bill's sponsor, Michelle Udall (R-Mesa), is also currently running for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction. She has said that she is seeking the position, which would put her in charge of public education in the state, because “our kids can’t afford four more years of school closures, contentious mandates and critical race theory.”

Udall’s bill would “bar the sale of any computer, smartphone or tablet in Arizona if it doesn’t include a filter that would block children from accessing ‘harmful content,’ and would hold them criminally liable if they fail to do so,” the Arizona Mirror reported today. This mirrors a bill passed in Utah in March 2021, which included a provision specifically designed to encourage copycat bills such as Udall's. 

The new bill, according to the report, “gives parents the right to sue the manufacturer if their child accesses ‘harmful material’ and anyone who removes a filter would face a class 6 felony and a $50,000 fine. Companies that don’t comply also can face criminal liability under the bill’s language.”

The Arizona Mirror found evidence that the bill may actually have been drafted by conservative activist and anti-LGBTQ+ crusader Chris Sevier — currently based in France — who has been notorious for attempting to advance eccentric legislation around the country.

In 2019, the Arizona Mirror reported, Sevier convinced another Arizona legislator, Rep. Gail Griffin (R-Hereford), to put forward a bill “that would have charged Arizona residents $20 to access pornographic material and used the money to fund construction of a border wall along the state’s southern border with Mexico. Griffin later said she would no longer pursue the bill after it drew national attention.”

Udall told the Mirror that she is not familiar with Sevier and claimed that the bill was brought to her by "concerned parents/grandparents in [her] district who are trying to keep pornography out of the hands of children."

“It is something I have been working with them on for a few years now,” she continued. "Children are accessing pornography at younger and younger ages and it is something many parents and grandparents are working hard to prevent.”

FSC: Arizona Porn Filter Bill is 'Unconstitutional'

The Arizona Mirror article quoted Free Speech Coalition Director of Public Affairs Mike Stabile, who criticized the bill as “unconstitutional.”

“It asks that the government limit access to otherwise legal speech,” Stabile said. “The government is welcome to fund a campaign to encourage parents or guardians to use filters, and private companies are welcome to install filters of their own volition. But the government cannot require them to do so.”

War on Porn crusaders have been attempting to move forward with copycat bills since Governor Spencer J. Cox signed the Utah bill into law ten months ago. That bill only passed after it was amended with the odd mandate that it “will not go into effect until five additional states have adopted similar language. It gives a 10-year period for that to occur,” the Salt Lake City Fox affiliate reported in February 2021.

Main Image: Rep. Michelle Udall (R-Mesa) (Source: Official portrait)

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

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.

Ofcom: More Porn Providers Commit to Age Assurance Measures

A number of adult content providers operating in the U.K. have confirmed that they plan to introduce age checks in compliance with the Online Safety Act by the July 25 deadline, according to U.K. media regulator Ofcom.

Show More