Senate Passes Anti-Porn Bill

The Legislature late Sunday night sent the governor a measure aimed at shielding minors from obscene materials.

However, minutes after the Senate approved the measure, Gov. Mike Lowry said he had “serious concerns” about the bill, SB5466.

“If I believe it is censorship I will not be able to sign it,” he said. Earlier, the governor had pledged to veto the bill if it included sound recordings, which it does.

The Senate passed the measure 38-7. Libraries and museums are exempt from the bill.

The bill prohibits sale or distribution of material considered harmful to minors. Anyone who knowingly displays, sells or distributes such material would be guilty of a gross misdemeanor.

The measure would apply to movies, books, magazines, musical recordings, sexual devices, plays, dances and telephonic communications.

Material would be considered “harmful to minors” if:

The average adult, applying contemporary community standards, would find it appeals to the prurient interest of minors.

It shows conduct that under adult community standards would be seen as patently offensive to minors.

And it lacks socially redeeming literary, artistic, political or scientific value for minors.

Last year, the state Supreme Court threw out a law banning the sale of erotic recordings to minors.