North Dakota bill imposes liability and $10,000 daily fines on websites publishing sexual material without age verification

Original title: A BILL for an Act to create and enact a new section to chapter 51-07 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to a covered platform's liability for publishing or distributing sexual material harmful to a minor; and to provide a penalty.

Last action · February 17, 2025: Second reading, failed to pass, yeas 36 nays 53Sponsors: Jared Hendrix and 11 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Proposed

Websites hosting sexual material harmful to minors are required to implement reasonable age verification methods and prevent minor access, or face civil lawsuits and daily fines of $10,000. The measure applies to websites serving North Dakota residents under eighteen and mandates the strict anonymization of user verification data.

Why it matters

Online adult-content providers face statutory liability and financial penalties for failing to verify user ages, while parents and guardians gain the right to sue platforms that allow minor access. Additionally, individuals whose identification data is improperly retained by a platform or third party can bring civil claims for damages and attorney fees.

Who It Would Have Affected

Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

covered platforms

Websites hosting sexual material must implement age verification technology, prevent minor access, protect user privacy, and face potential civil liability and daily fines.

Directly affected

parents or guardians

Parents and guardians are granted the right to bring civil lawsuits against platforms that allow their minor children access to restricted material.

Directly affected

internet service providers

ISPs, search engines, cloud providers, and app stores are explicitly protected from liability when they merely provide transmission, storage, or connectivity without creating the content.

Directly affected

news-gathering organizations

Bona fide news or public interest broadcasts, websites, videos, reports, and events are completely exempt from the requirements of the section.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What websites are subject to the age verification and liability requirements?

The bill applies to any ',' defined as a website that in the regular course of business creates, hosts, or makes available content that meets the definition of .

Who can file a lawsuit against a website under this legislation?

A civil action may be brought by a parent or guardian whose minor child was improperly allowed access to the material, or by an individual whose identifying verification information was retained in violation of privacy rules.

Are news organizations and internet service providers covered by these rules?

No. Bona fide news or public interest websites, broadcasts, reports, and news-gathering organizations are explicitly exempt, as are internet service providers, search engines, cloud service providers, and app stores that do not create the content.

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News Coverage

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Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Failed in the House.

Procedural history

5 actions

Feb 17, 2025House
Second reading, failed to pass, yeas 36 nays 53
Feb 14, 2025HouseCommittee
Amendment adopted, placed on calendar
Feb 13, 2025HouseCommittee
Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 11 3 0
Feb 12, 2025HouseCommittee
Committee Hearing 09:00
Jan 20, 2025HouseIntroduced
Introduced, first reading, referred Judiciary Committee

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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