A newly proposed bill will require age verification for Texans looking to buy adult toys online. This isn't Texas's first foray into requiring age verification for adult content online; just last year, the whole Texas vs. Pornhub issue arose that required adult websites to age verify users; in response, PornHub suspended their site in Texas. It also resulted in one Texas store reaping the benefits.

This time, the age verification law is aimed at adult toy sites. State Sen. Angela Paxton, R-McKinney, filed Senate Bill 3003 which would criminally charge online retailers if they sell “an obscene device” to someone without verifying that the customer is 18 years or older.

Texas’ penal code defines such a product as “including a dildo or artificial vagina, designed or marketed as useful primarily for the stimulation of human genital organs.”

I just want to know, was this not already a thing? If senator Paxton's name sounds familiar, it's because her husband is Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is the main culprit of Texas v. PornHub.

According to SB 3003, reasonable age verification methods include, but are not limited to, requiring a government-issued photo ID or using third-party services that use public records or “other reliable sources.”  Retailers can also exclusively use payment methods that are restricted to buyers 18 years or older, but must supplement this with another age verification method.

Violating the law would be a Class A misdemeanor, which carries up to a year in jail and a maximum fine of $4,000. The bill also subjects retailers to a civil penalty no larger than $5,000.

This is not the only bill targeted at adult toys in Texas; this past December a bill introduced by newly-elected Republican Rep. Hillary Hickland, proposed to limit the sale of adult toys at major retail stores calling the devices "obscene" and wants a law limiting where they're sold.

The sale of adult toys in Texas has been subject to legal scrutiny and evolving interpretations over the years. Historically, Texas had strict obscenity laws that classified adult toys as prohibited items if they were sold or promoted for sexual gratification. However, these laws have been challenged and changed due to constitutional concerns about freedom of expression and personal rights.

You can read more about SB 3003 here.