North Dakota Legislature Withdraws “Porn Vending Machine” Internet Censorship Bill

Yesterday I wrote about HB1185, legislation which would have defined every internet-capable device in North Dakota as a “pornography vending machine.” It also would have required that those devices come with technology to filter the internet, something adults must pay $20 to disable.

Today – ironically as I was interviewing one of the bill’s backer’s – the lawmakers in the state House withdrew the legislation on a unanimous voice vote. I was alerted to this fact by multiple texts and emails from lawmakers on the floor of the House.

I told Chris Severe, a spokesman for what he describes as the Human Trafficking Prevention Act who was on my radio show with me when the vote happened, that the legislation had been withdrawn.

“The sponsors who buckled under the weight of the liberal media, they should be punted out of office,” he told me.

Severe told me that his group will continue to pursue the legislation in dozens of other states, as well as similar legislation at the federal level.

I’ll update this post as I learn more.