New age verification law creates controversy

A new Louisiana law regarding age verification for pornographic websites is drawing controversy for several reasons, despite overwhelming support from all but one member of the Louisiana Legislature.

Act 440 took effect on Jan. 1 to create a cause of civil action for Louisiana parents whose children access pornographic websites that do not utilize an age verification process. The legislation, sponsored by

Rep. Laurie Schlegel, R-Jefferson, passed both chambers of the Republican-controlled Legislature in June with little debate and only a single nay vote — from Rep. Mandie Landry, D-New Orleans.

"The question is what is pornography or obscenity, who gets to decide, and how is that enforced? So much of that is in the eye of the beholder," Landry said.

Last week, Schlegel took to Twitter to defend the law.

"This law had bipartisan support and passed almost unanimously in both the House & Senate with close to 50 co-authors, including Democrats and Republicans. It was not a Republican win but a win for children in Louisiana."

This bill is about protecting children not limiting adults," she posted. "And thankfully, the technology today allows us to not only protect children from the dangers of online pornography but also protect the privacy of those adults who want to view this material."

The new law has convinced the adult site PornHub to implement age verification for Louisiana residents, while other sites reportedly have yet to comply. While the state's LA Wallet online identification system streamlines the age verification process, it remains unclear how and where sites that don't comply will be held liable.

The legislation contends "pornography is creating a public health crisis and having a corroding influence on minors," who are accessing sites at younger ages than in the past.