Nebraska Lawmakers Consider Age Verification Bill

LINCOLN, Neb.—Lawmakers in the unicameral Nebraska state legislature are considering a "copycat" age verification proposal that would target adult entertainment platforms with requirements to implement "reasonable" age-checking measures or face penalties.  The nonpartisan, one-house legislative body, a characteristic unique to Nebraska's government, is still controlled by very conservative lawmakers. Legislative Bill 1092, which was introduced by state Sen. Dave Murman of the tiny village of Glenvil, would reportedly limit access to online porn by requiring a user from a Nebraska IP address to show proof of age using government identification and a third-party age verification vendor like Yoti or Incode. Sen. Murman said that his intention in bringing LB 1092 is to protect "our most vulnerable women and children." Mike Stabile, the director of public affairs for adult industry trade organization the Free Speech Coalition, posted to his followers on X (formerly Twitter) that Murman and other conservative lawmakers "don’t want women accessing the internet either."  The unicameral's Judiciary Committee recently considered Murman's bill and fielded support and opposition for the legislation. Some of those opposing the bill include the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), reports the Nebraska Examiner. “Internet safety should not come at the cost of personal rights,” said Jane Seu, legal and policy counsel for the ACLU of Nebraska, during the committee hearing. Lobbyist and attorney Korby Gilbertson of the law firm Radcliffe Gilbertson & Brady, testifying on behalf of her client Media of Nebraska, said that potential First Amendment violations from the bill could cause issues. “We’re not trying to stop anyone from protecting children from pornography, but this bill is too broad,” Gilbertson explained in reference to the judicial scrutiny that has long been questioned over age verification legislation targeting porn through the states. Sen. Carol Blood of the suburb of Bellvue also raised concerns indicating that the bill could violate civil liberties. Organizations supporting Sen. Murman's bill include the socially conservative Nebraska Family Alliance and the Nebraska Catholic Conference, representing laypeople, priests and bishops of that faith for the whole Cornhusker state. For context, Sen. Murman has introduced several bills targeting public school librarians and has openly supported book bans.  Legislative Bill 1092 is still technically in the committee phase, but it is highly likely the bill will advance, maybe even pass, given the conservative political base in the state and the Republican party ultimately controlling the executive and legislative branches. AVN has reported extensively on age verification proposals introduced in state legislatures throughout the United States. It is a connected effort with central anti-porn organizations including the National Center on Sexual Exploitation and a coalition of organizations under the banner of the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 initiative, which wants to ban legal porn.