SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A group of Utah Senators has signed off on a proposal that would require public libraries in Utah to install pornography blocking technology on their wireless networks.
The proposal comes from Woods Cross Republican Sen. Todd Weiler. Weiler led an effort last year for Utah to declare pornography a public health crisis, contending that pornography is addictive and distorts children’s thinking about sex, threaten marriages and contributes to sexual violence.
A Senate government operations committee approved the measure Tuesday, sending it to the full Senate for debate.
Weiler says most of state’s 100-plus public libraries already have pornography-blocking technology on their wireless networks, but a dozen smaller branches don’t.
He says it’s important that libraries be a safe place where parents don’t have to worry about children accessing or being exposed to porn.