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House adopts SCR 9 declaring pornography a public-health crisis after floor debate
Summary
The House passed SCR 9 recognizing pornography as a public-health hazard and urging education, prevention, research and policy responses; floor exchange included a lengthy series of statements on harms to youth and calls for education and prevention measures.
Representative Oda introduced SCR 9, which the sponsor described as recognizing that certain pornographic material is a public-health hazard linked to addiction, aggression toward women, and other public-health harms. On the floor Representative Brian King used a series of questions and statements to press the sponsor on harms to youth, hypersexualized expectations, and the need for education that helps adolescents make healthy decisions. The sponsor cited studies (as described on the floor) linking consumption to addiction-like brain responses and to higher risk behaviors among adolescents and said the resolution supports education, prevention and policy changes such as ID checks and internet default lockouts.
Representative King and the sponsor agreed the topic warrants public education rather than criminalization; King said declaring a public-health crisis should not be used to curtail healthy sex education. After discussion and a waived summation, the House passed SCR 9 by a vote of 72 yes, 0 no and the resolution will be returned to the Senate for signature.
Actions and next steps: SCR 9 passed the House unanimously in recorded vote and will be transmitted to the Senate for final signature; floor proponents urged education and prevention efforts.
