This Arizona bill would tax internet porn to fund a border wall

An Arizona lawmaker is calling for a tax on internet porn in order to fund President Donald Trump’s proposed wall on the country’s Southern border, the Arizona Mirror reports.

Introduced by Rep. Gail Griffin (R-Ariz.), House Bill 2444, also known as the “Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Prevention Act,” argues in favor of a $20 fee for anyone wishing to view adult content online.

The legislation would force distributers of any device capable of accessing the internet to install software that blocks access to pornography. Only users who have paid the fee and proven themselves to be over 18 years of age would be permitted to bypass the filter.

Distributors of internet-connected devices, such as computers and smartphones, would also be granted the right to add their own charges on top of the state’s $20 fee. Any distributor who fails to backdoor their devices with the porn-blocking software would be guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor.

Private citizens and the state’s attorney general would even be allowed to sue any company that refuses to block websites found to contain adult content.

The bill also calls for the creation of the “John McCain Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Fund,” which would collect all the money generated. The McCain Institute has not responded to numerous media requests for comment on whether the McCain family supports the initiative.

Aside from aiding a border wall, the legislation also calls for distributing funds to other areas including mental health services, temporary housing, and assistance for school districts and law enforcement.

The Arizona Mirror states that the bill “appears to be connected to a prominent anti-gay activist who is most famously known for attempting to marry his computer in protest over gay marriage.” That individual, Chris Sevier, runs a website with the same name as the Arizona bill that advocates for such legislation.

Sevier has reportedly helped convince lawmakers in at least 18 states to introduce anti-porn bills. Arizona’s, however, is the first to reference a U.S.-Mexico border wall. None of the bills have been successful in becoming law.

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H/T Arizona Mirror