HB 1418 Summary

• Requires the consumer protection division of the attorney general to establish a child protection registry where contact points (email addresses, instant messages, phone numbers, fax numbers) belonging to or accessible to minors can be registered.

• Prohibits sending communications advertising products/services minors cannot legally purchase or containing material harmful to minors to registered contact points, with registration effective after 30 days.

• Allows senders to check the registry for a fee of up to $0.03 per contact point checked or $72,000 annually to enable compliance with the law.

• Permits exceptions to the prohibition if an adult controlling the contact point provides written consent after in-person age verification with government ID.

• Authorizes the attorney general to seek injunctions, civil penalties up to $10,000 for first violations and $25,000 for subsequent violations (each communication counts as separate violation), and allows private right of action for users to recover actual damages or $1,000 per unlawful communication.