PRIORITY
WFA STANCE:
Support
WFA CATEGORY:
Family Values
TOPIC:
Obscenity (Protect Children)
FINAL STATUS:
Governor Signed HEA No. 0070
SCHEDULE:
No Committee Meetings or Floor Sessions Currently Scheduled
Senate 3rd Reading Consent List, Senate Floor @ 10:00 AM (3/4/25)
SPONSOR(S):
Representative Martha Lawley
CO-SPONSOR(S):
Representative(s) Ocean Andrew, Abby Angelos, Marilyn Connolly, Scott Heiner, Christopher Knapp, J.T. Larson, Chip Neiman
Senator(s) Evie Brennan, Barry Crago, Stacy Jones, Jared Olsen, Cheri Steinmetz
LEGISLATOR CONTACT INFO:
CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATOR:
Click the names of Sponsors and Co-Sponsors above to see their details and contact information.
Click this link to contact your local legislator; TELL THEM TO VOTE YES ON HB0043
SUMMARY:
Purpose and Scope: The bill is designed to protect children by requiring websites that feature material harmful to minors—such as obscene images or child pornography—to verify users’ ages before allowing access.
Who Must Comply (Covered Platforms): It applies to websites that, as part of their regular business, create, host, or offer harmful content for profit. This does not include general internet service providers, search engines, or cloud service providers.
Age Verification Requirements:
- These websites must use “reasonable age verification measures” to ensure that only users 18 or older can view the harmful content.
- Acceptable forms of age verification include government-issued IDs (like driver’s licenses, identification cards, passports, military cards, etc.), credit or debit cards (with the proper age restrictions), or any other method that reliably confirms a user’s age.
Data Privacy: Once the age verification is done, the website cannot retain any identifying information about the person who accessed the content.
Liability and Enforcement:
- Parents or guardians can sue a website if it fails to properly verify age and as a result, a minor accesses harmful content.
- Additionally, any individual can sue if the website keeps personal identifying information after verification.
- The law sets damages at $5,000 for each instance a website fails to verify age, and also allows for additional compensation for court costs and attorney fees.
- Enforcement is carried out solely through civil lawsuits, and the state or local governments cannot directly enforce the rules.
Exceptions and Applicability:
- The rules apply only to minors who are Wyoming residents, have lived in Wyoming for over a year, or have been present in the state for at least 31 consecutive days.
- The bill does not affect any contracts or agreements that were made before it took effect.
Effective Date:
The act becomes effective on July 1, 2025.
View Full Text of the Bill: https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2025/HB0043
WFA COMMENTARY & UPDATES:
The internet is an incredible resource, but it’s also full of hidden dangers that many parents overlook. From cyberbullying and online predators to inappropriate content and privacy threats, children can face serious risks while browsing, gaming, or chatting with friends. In this video, Representative Martha Lawley (sponsor of HB0043) uncovers the dangers lurking in plain sight, explains how they affect children, and shares practical tips to keep your family safe.
Watch a brief video recap of week one’s pro-family legislation and a preview of what’s to come in Wyoming. Wyoming Legislature 2025.
(Includes commentary on HB0043 Age Verification for Websites with Harmful Material)
Watch a brief video recap of week two’s pro-family legislation and a preview of what’s to come in Wyoming. Wyoming Legislature 2025.
(Includes commentary on HB0043 Age Verification for Websites with Harmful Material)
SIMILAR BILLS:
Link(s) to bills with similar objectives will be posted below:
