Ohio Legislative Changes: Mandatory Age Verification and Digital Policy Reforms

Ohioans will need to bare it all in order to watch online pornography, now that the state’s age verification requirement went into effect on Tuesday. With thousands of pages of policy reform, the state’s massive operating budget, which includes the porn changes, impacts everyone.

Implementation of Online Age Verification

Immediate changes: You will need to submit your proof that you are an adult to watch internet pornography. Age verification would be done by submitting a photo of your state ID or by entering your personal information into a third-party system that will then run your details through other online or government databases — it could also use facial recognition technology, capturing photos of users.

The provision states that an establishment primarily centered on explicit content and generating a significant amount of revenue from such content must comply with this law. However, others that host pornography may still be subject to the law. Companies would be penalized if they don’t comply. News media organizations, as well as cable and streaming providers, have an explicit exemption. State Rep. Josh Williams said that this won’t impact social media sites like X (formerly known as Twitter) and Reddit, even though both of those platforms contain easily-accessible pornography.

Data Privacy and Security Concerns

Clevelander Mallory McMaster fears that data could be leaked. In 2024, hackers have stolen medical, financial, and legal data from at least hundreds of thousands of Ohioans at both the state and local levels. “Creating a log of the pornography that we watch is not a direction that we want to go in as a country,” McMaster said. Many of the reported cyberattacks do not state how many consumers have been impacted.

Market and Industry Impact

It’s also likely that explicit video giant PornHub pulls out of providing content to Ohio. The company has removed some of its sites in states with age verification laws. As of publishing, they have pulled out of 17 states.

Additional State Budget and Training Provisions

Another change taking effect Tuesday involves the driver’s license process. Drivers under 21 will be required to complete the same training that minors do. “Inexperience is really the number one killer,” Gov. Mike DeWine said. “It’s the number one cause of crashes.”

Regarding financial reforms, the state is moving to a 2.75% flat income tax. This means the highest earners in the state, those making more than $100,000 a year, will no longer have to pay 3.5% in income tax. This will be phased in over the next few years. The following table summarizes the planned tax bracket shifts for high earners:

Tax Year	Income Tax Rate
Current (Prior to Sept. 30)	3.5%
2026	3.125%
2027	2.75%

Education and Scholarships

The Governor’s Merit Scholarship has been kept by the lawmakers, guaranteeing admission to a public university for each high school graduate in the top 10% of their graduating class. However, the bill requires students to sign a “statement of commitment” to stay in Ohio for three years after graduation. Additionally, high-performing public schools will have the opportunity to gain some additional school funding if a school earns a 4- or 5-star ranking on its report card.