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Minutes for SB394 - Committee on Judiciary
Short Title
Requiring the use of age-verification technology to permit access to internet websites containing material that is harmful to minors.
Minutes Content for Wed, Feb 7, 2024
Chairwoman Warren opened the hearing on SB394
Jason Thompson, Senior Assistant Revisor, provided an overview of the bill and stood for questions.(Attachment 1)
Brittany Jones, Director of Policy and Engagement for Kansas Family Voice, testified in support of the Bill. She stated that in Kansas, we declared pornography to be a public health crisis more than six years ago. It is past time that our state begin to place barriers on what children can see online and begin to curb the tide of the harmful effects of pornography on Kansas children. She asks that you pass SB394 out favorably. (Attachment 2)
Chuck Weber, Executive Director, Catholic Conference, provided testimony in support of SB394, He stated that this Bill is very good legislation that will help prevent the pornography industry from capturing and addicting our youth to destructive behavior. It will also send a message about the harms of pornography to everyone. (Attachment 3)
Iain Corby, Executive Director, The Age Verification Providers Association, provided testimony in support of SB394. He testified to reassure the Committee through our evidence that this Bill will lead to effective, privacy-preserving, audited and certified age verification. (Attachment 4)
Joseph Kohm, Public Policy Director for Family Policy Alliance, testified in support of the Bill. He said this bill ensures parental involvement in children's internet consumption, while restoring parental rights in the state of Kansas. In addition, it prevents minors from gaining access to pornographic material that harms children. We strongly urge you to vote yes on SB394. (Attachment 5)
The conferees stood for questions.
Proponent, written-only testimony was submitted by the following:
- Dr. Kevin Vance, Director, Center for Constitutional Liberty, Benedictine College. (Attachment 6)
- Katie Scarlett Calcutt, Private Citizen (Attachment 7)
- Erin Henniger, Private Citizen (Attachment 8)
- Eli Huber, Kansas State Director, Heritage Action for America (Attachment 9)
Daniel Cochrane, Senior Research Associate, Tech Policy Center, The Heritage Foundation, provided neutral testimony in support of the bill and the committee's efforts to protect children from the most harmful material online. He stated it 's time to require platforms that host or create explicit content to implement age verification. (Attachment 10)
Neutral, written-only testimony was submitted by: Ruthie Barko, Executive Director, Colorado and the Central U.S. TechNet. (Attachment 11)
Justin Hill, on behalf of Carl Szabo, NetChoice provided testimony in opposition to SB394. He stated Kansas parents are the ultimate arbiters of their children's wellbeing and moral development. A terrible but altogether predictable side effect of the bill is that it would give parents a false sense of security. (Attachment 12)
John Idoux, Kansas Governmental Affairs Director, Brightspeed, provided opposing written-only testimony (Attachment13)
No further testimony.
Chairwoman Warren closed the hearing on SB394.
