The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument, were prepared by Carla S. Roberts.
DIGEST
SB 250 Original 2018 Regular Session Mizell
Present law requires each governing authority of a public elementary or secondary school to adopt
policies, in accordance with all applicable state and federal laws, regarding access by students and
employees to internet and online sites on school computers that contain or make reference to harmful
material, the character of which is such that it is reasonably believed to be obscene or child
pornography, conducive to the creation of a hostile or dangerous school environment, pervasively
vulgar, excessively violent, or sexually harassing in the school environment, all as defined by any
applicable state or federal laws and the policy adopted. Present law specifies that such policies shall
include prohibitions against accessing sites containing information on the manufacturing or
production of bombs or other incendiary devices.
Proposed law retains present law and additionally requires the state Dept. of Education (DOE) to
compile a handout regarding the public health risks and harms associated with pornography.
Proposed law specifies that the handout shall include the following information:
(1)The dangers of sexually charged cyberbullying.
(2)The addictive and destructive nature of pornographic and illicit materials.
(3)The dangers of internet interaction with strangers.
(4)Resources available to parents seeking information related to child safeguards and free
internet filters for home computers. A list of free internet filters which filter out pornography,
including but not limited to such filters found at www.netsmartz.org shall also be provided.
Proposed law requires DOE to disseminate the handout to the governing authority of each public
elementary or secondary school for distribution to the parent of each student enrolled in a school
under its jurisdiction.
Proposed law provides legislative intent as follows:
(1)Pornography is contributing to the hypersexualization of teens and even prepubescent
children in our society. Pornography is creating a public health crisis because pornography
perpetuates a sexually toxic environment and encourages sexual harassment among teens.
(2)Efforts to prevent pornography exposure and addiction, to educate individuals and families
concerning its harmful effects, and to develop recovery programs must be addressed
systemically in ways that hold providers of pornography accountable. (3)Due to the advances in technology and the universal availability of the internet, young
children are exposed to what used to be referred to as hardcore pornography, but is now
considered mainstream pornography and the average age of exposure to pornography is now
eleven-to-twelve years of age. This early exposure to pornography is leading to low self-
esteem and body-image disorders, an increase in problematic sexual activity at younger ages,
and an increased desire among adolescents to engage in risky sexual behavior.
(4)Because pornography treats women as objects and commodities for the use of the viewer, it
teaches girls they are to be used and teaches boys to be users. Pornography normalizes
violence and abuse of women and children. Pornography treats women and children as
objects and often depicts rape and abuse as if such acts are harmless. Pornography equates
violence towards women and children with sex, and pain with pleasure, which increases the
demand for sex trafficking, prostitution, child sexual abuse images, and child pornography.
(5)Potential detrimental effects on users of pornography can impact brain development and
functioning, contribute to emotional and medical illnesses, shape deviant sexual arousal, and
lead to difficulty in forming or maintaining positive, intimate relationships, as well as
promoting problematic or harmful sexual behaviors and addiction. Recent neurological
research indicates that pornography is potentially biologically addictive, which means the
user requires more novelty, often in the form of more shocking material, in order to be
satisfied. This biological addiction leads to increasing themes of risky sexual behaviors,
extreme degradation, violence, and child sexual abuse images and child pornography.
(6)The need for education, prevention, research, and policy change at the community and
societal levels must be instituted in order to address the pornography epidemic that is
harming the young people of our state and nation.
Effective August 1, 2018.
(Amends R.S. 17:100.7)