So far, 21 states have enacted age verification laws to block children from accessing online pornography. And now, Missouri appears poised to become the 22nd. House Bill 236, sponsored by state Rep. Sherri Gallick (R), may just be the first of many steps in the state’s effort to better protect minors.

During Friday’s “Washington Watch,” guest host Jody Hice, FRC Action President and former congressman, highlighted the escalating challenges of safeguarding children in the digital era. “Protecting our kids in this digital age is absolutely growing more and more difficult,” he noted, especially as “access to all the harmful material online becomes more and more easily and readily available.” While acknowledging the critical role parents play, Hice stressed that “there are also some protections that lawmakers can put in place to shield the eyes and the minds of our most vulnerable citizens, which would be our children.”

Gallick joined Hice on Friday’s episode to discuss her bill in greater detail. When Hice asked, “How did this get started for you?” and “What inspired you to draft this piece of legislation?” Gallick pointed to her deep involvement with child advocacy. “I am very active with child advocacy organizations,” she shared, recounting how her work with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) exposed her to pivotal cases that spurred further investigation and ultimately led to the creation of HB 236.

Gallick described the legislation as “just a gatekeeper,” likening it to past safeguards when “you couldn’t go into a store or a room” with mature content because “everything was under lock and key” to shield innocent eyes. She underscored the urgency of the measure today, stating that “online pornography is rampant.” Especially in a “digital age,” she continued, “everybody has tablets and phones, even children. And parents can put parental [protections] on,” but “you are not with your children 24 hours a day in many cases,” which points to the need for additional legislative support.

In a personal anecdote, Gallick explained how a gentleman “came up to me and told me that he had an addiction when he was younger, and it wasn’t from his parents. His parents had parental restrictions … in their home. But he went to his friend’s home and that’s where he discovered [pornography].” She cited such experiences as evidence that “this is a huge issue,” asserting that “as adults, the most important thing anyone will ever do is to raise a child.” Backed by ample research on pornography’s harms, she argued, “I believe we have a moral obligation to protect minors.”

“I couldn’t agree with you more,” Hice responded. However, he took a moment to probe potential weaknesses in the bill. He asked, “What would happen if a child tries to lie about their age?” Gallick acknowledged the current loophole: “A child can lie. All they have to do in Missouri is say, ‘Yes, I’m 18,’ [and] click a button.” To address this, she incorporated “a reasonable commercial entity” into her bill, utilizing additional verification methods like a phone number, which helps distinguish “who is the adult and who isn’t.”

Gallick reassured that her bill states it “shall not retain any identifying information, whether you are given access or denied,” meaning personal data is protected. “And if you think about it,” she added, “the age verification provider, that is their business. If anyone is going to be very driven to make sure that they have no fraud or no data breach, it would be somebody that has a company in age verification.”

As the discussion ended, Gallick explained what Missourians can do to help this legislation pass. “[I]f you are very passionate about this as I am,” she said, “please call your state representatives and your state senators. It is still on the formal calendar, so it is not dead. There is still a path to get this passed.” However, she asserted that “if for some reason it doesn’t pass this year, I will have it again next year.”

Ultimately, Gallick concluded, “I believe that this is an extremely important issue. … [W]e are the gatekeepers, and we are the people that are raising the children that will be leaders tomorrow. And I want to make sure that we protect minors.”