FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 29, 2025
Contact: Senator Ben Toews
(208) 209-7791
BOISE, Idaho – Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld state laws mandating that porn companies verify ages before allowing anyone to access their content.
“Adults have no First Amendment right to avoid age verification, and the statute can readily be understood as an effort to restrict minors’ access,” Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in the opinion. “Any burden experienced by adults is therefore only incidental to the statute’s regulation of activity that is not protected by the First Amendment.”
The suit was over a law passed by the Texas Legislature in 2023. A similar law passed by the Idaho Legislature in 2024 was sponsored by Sen. Ben Toews, Sen. Kevin Cook, Rep. Elaine Price, and Rep. Julianne Young.
Idaho House Bill 498 requires pornography websites to verify the age of users before anyone can see the content. It is designed to empower parents by allowing them to pursue effective legal action against providers who push harmful content to kids. This innovative approach not only strengthens accountability for pornography companies but also gives families a clear legal path to protect children from exposure.
“We wrote the bill because, like other Idaho parents, we want to protect Idaho teens and children from the long-term, devastating consequences of online material we all know is some of the worst and damaging parts of our new digital age,” Rep. Price said.
“Idaho Republicans believe that parents – not the state and not government bureaucrats – are best positioned to protect kids,” Sen. Toews said. “That is why Idaho law puts parents in charge and empowers them to hold porn companies accountable.”
“Republicans in the Idaho Legislature are steadfast in our commitment to protect Idaho kids from online content,” House Majority Leader Jason Monks said. “I commend Sen. Toews and Rep. Price for their leadership on this issue.”
“This is a hugely important issue for every Idaho parent,” Senate Majority Leader Lori Den Hartog said. “We should all celebrate that the highest court in the land agrees with the Idaho approach.”

About Idaho Senate Republican Caucus
The Senate Republican Caucus is committed to preserving freedom, promoting personal responsibility, and delivering commonsense solutions that reduce regulatory burdens and support Idaho’s small businesses. Visit their website at https://www.idahosenategopcaucus.com/