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Senate concurs in conference changes on age verification for apps used by minors
Summary
The Senate adopted a conference committee report on House Bill 570 to clarify age‑verification responsibilities for app developers and platform providers, assigning separate responsibilities for data relied on for verification.
The Senate adopted the conference committee report on House Bill 570, an act amending Title 51 concerning minors' use of applications. The conference report centers on who bears responsibility for age verification when apps are used by minors.
Senator Morris, presenting the report, described the conference language — particularly Amendment 5 — and said it makes each party responsible for the data it chooses to rely on for age verification. He summarized: "developers and covered, applications to our providers shall each be separately responsible for any data each choose to rely on in their independent judgment for compliance with age verification requirements of law." After discussion, the Senate concurred in the committee report on a roll call that closed with 38 yeas and 0 nays.
Why this matters: the adopted language clarifies allocation of compliance responsibility between app developers and platform/app‑store providers for verifying user age, a point of interest to industry, parents and consumer‑privacy advocates.
Details: The sponsor said the conference committee sought equity between app stores and developers so that each party has an independent obligation to rely on and verify whatever data it chooses. The transcript does not record implementation guidance or rulemaking steps; enforcement mechanisms will depend on the statutory text and administrative authorities.
Next steps: The bill as adopted will be returned to enrollment; agencies or enforcement authorities will determine compliance and enforcement processes after statutory enactment.
