Assigned to TAT FOR COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, First Regular Session
FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1503
explicit content; age verification; internet
Purpose
Requires the provision of government-issued identification before granting access to
sexually explicit material on a website and prohibits the identifying information of a website user
from being retained, as prescribed.
Background
The Internet is collectively the myriad of computer and telecommunications facilities,
including equipment and operating software, that comprise the interconnected worldwide network
of networks that employ the transmission control protocol or internet protocol, or any predecessor
or successor protocols to such protocol, to communicate information of all kinds by wire or radio
(A.R.S. § 18-541).
Explicit sexual material is material that depicts human genitalia or that depicts nudity,
sexual activity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement or sadomasochistic abuse (A.R.S. § 8-309).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires a person, including an individual or a commercial entity, that publishes or distributes
explicit sexual material on the internet from a website that contains a substantial portion of
explicit sexual material to require a website user to provide a government-issued identification
to verify that the user is at least 18 years old before granting the user access to the website.
2. Prohibits a person, including an individual or a commercial entity, that publishes or distributes
explicit sexual material on the internet from a website that contains a substantial portion of
explicit sexual material from a website from retaining any identifying information of a website
user after access to sexually explicit material has been granted.
3. Defines identifying information as an individual's driver or nonoperating identification license
number, date of birth and residential address.
4. Makes conforming changes.
5. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 9, 2023
KJA/sr