In a move that seems more suited to come from Alabama than Rhode Island, and is sure to have many scratching their heads, two Democrat lawmakers, Sen. Frank Ciccone, D-Providence, and Sen. Hanna Gallo, D-Cranston, have proposed a $20 fee for Rhode Island residents to view internet porn.
In a bill introduced last Thursday, the duo proposed legislation that would require Internet service providers to block sexual content and patently offensive material. It would allow consumers to deactivate the block upon payment of a $20 fee to the State of Rhode Island.
In a flash back to the 1964 Supreme Court decision Jacobellis v. Ohio, the text of the bill does not specify what constitutes “offensive” material.
The legislation provides fines of $500 for every piece of offending content that reaches Rhode Island residents.
According to the Huffington Post, 30 percent of all data transferred across the Internet is porn. So this would basically make Rhode Island the wealthiest state in the nation and we can pave our streets with gold!
Anyway, here’s a future look at Route 95.
According to the Providence Journal, Ciccone and Gallo did not respond to phone messages requesting comment. So cheers to Senators Ciccone and Gallo for the most blatant attack on the First Amendment we’ve seen in a while.
Jeepers, and everyone was worried about the Republicans in regard to net neutrality…
*** QUICK UPDATE*** Senator Ciccione is the same dude that tried to fine Rhode Islanders $500 for leaves falling off of your trees last year and Senator Gallo voted to support the measure!
