The Iowa
State of
Eighty-First General Assembly
STATEHOUSE
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
For Immediate Release Contact: Kimberly Steenhoek
Monday, Jan. 30, 2006 (515) 281-6571
Republican Senators Work to Protect Children
from Internet Porn
Legislation
would require state-funded libraries to adopt Internet filters
DES MOINES – Senators Jeff Angelo (R-Creston), Jerry Behn
(R-Boone) and Brad Zaun (R-Urbandale) today introduced legislation today that
would help protect children from accessing sexually explicit material at
The legislation would prohibit libraries from receiving state funding if they do not install filtering software that eliminates access to pornographic websites.
“Libraries should be safe havens where children go to learn,” said Angelo who is co-chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “Parents shouldn’t have to worry whether their child is going to be exposed to something obscene or harmful while at the public library.”
Another provision in the bill would require libraries to restrict children under the age of 17 from renting R-rated movies.
“This is a common-sense move we can take to help parents,” said Zaun. “If children cannot see an R-rated movie in the theater without mom or dad, then they shouldn’t be allowed to borrow those same movies from the library.”
The legislation is based on the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), a federal law that requires libraries to install the filters in order to receive funding from the federal government.
In June 2003, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld CIPA, overturning a lower court ruling that prevented the law from taking effect. The high court found the law did not violate the First Amendment because the purpose of public libraries is not to provide a public forum, but rather to facilitate research, learning and recreational pursuits.
“Libraries have a responsibility to the taxpayers who fund them,” said Behn. “They are not exempt from helping protect our children from inappropriate material.”
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 21 states have Internet filtering laws that apply public schools or libraries.
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