Iowa Lawmakers Advance Bills to Restrict Minors' Access to Obscene Materials

Iowa lawmakers have advanced two bills aimed at restricting minors' access to obscene materials, one increasing penalties for distributing such materials to minors, and the other requiring age verification for adult websites. The proposed legislation, spearheaded by Rep. Skyler Wheeler, is part of ongoing efforts to protect children from inappropriate content, following previous measures that focused on restricting explicit material in school libraries. Meanwhile, in Oklahoma, Senator Dusty Deevers has introduced a controversial bill that seeks to criminalize all pornography, imposing potential prison sentences of up to 10 years for viewing, purchasing, or possessing such material. Deevers argues that pornography harms society and should not be protected under the First Amendment, building on a national trend of states pushing for stricter regulations. Critics of both Iowa's and Oklahoma's measures express concern about the implications for free expression and the potential unintended consequences of harsh penalties on minors. Advocates for the laws argue for the necessity of safeguarding children from exposure to harmful content.