HB 1212 Summary

• Requires commercial entities that knowingly publish pornographic material on internet websites accessible to Hawaii residents to implement age verification methods ensuring users are at least 18 years old.

• Age verification must use either digital identification or commercially available software that verifies age through government-issued identification or public/private transactional data.

• Prohibits commercial entities and third-party verifiers from retaining any identifying information of persons verified under this requirement.

• Exempts news media, public interest websites, internet service providers, search engines, and cloud service providers that do not produce the pornographic materials.

• Establishes civil penalties of $10,000 per day of violation, $10,000 per instance of retaining identification information, and up to $250,000 if minors access pornographic material due to the entity's non-compliance.