Jen's Two Cents. 🎙@JensTwoCents_AZ
SB 1747 (Strike-Everything Amendment) — Social Media Oversight + Grant Fund
A new version of SB 1747 goes further than earlier App Age Verification drafts and it's no longer just about social media restrictions or age verification.
The adopted language builds out a full framework for how Arizona will regulate online content for minors, while placing the Attorney General at the center of enforcement and funding. It formally creates a dedicated fund, controlled by the Attorney General, fueled by penalties and used to direct grants tied to online harm.
At the same time, the bill lays out the structure for how platforms, developers, and app stores must operate when minors are involved.
Sponsor Sen. Bolick (R-LD2) said states across the country, including Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Ohio, and Utah, have introduced similar legislation aimed at protecting minors from harmful content and data collection.
Kelsey Lundy of Compass Strategies, testifying in opposition on behalf of the Motion Pictures Association, said parts of the bill pull from models in Texas and Florida. She noted that the Texas-style framework, which relies on age verification signals moving between app stores and apps, was challenged in court.
Sen. Bolick acknowledged the bill is still evolving.
“This mirror bill that you all voted out 44-6 a few weeks ago is still a work in progress,” she said, adding the goal is to protect children, uphold parental rights, and create a workable solution. Sen. Bolick said she has been working with stakeholders for several months.
Jose Torres of TechNet also opposed the bill, pointing to legal and structural concerns.
“The bill requires those layers to share real-time age and consent signals and rely on one another for compliance,” Torres said. “But responsibility isn’t clearly assigned.”
He described a system where an app store may classify a user as an adult, while a developer, using its own data, could classify that same user as a minor. Resolving those conflicts, he said, creates a circular system that may be difficult to enforce, especially in common scenarios like shared family devices.
Torres also raised constitutional concerns, noting similar laws across the country are already facing legal challenges, particularly around regulating how platforms design features like recommendation systems.
The Motion Pictures Association also opposed the bill, noting the striker expands beyond social media to include streaming platforms.
Lundy said many streaming services already operate on subscription models that require an adult account holder with a credit card, with parental controls built into subaccounts.
The group is pushing for an amendment that would allow those platforms to rely on their existing systems rather than adopt a new verification structure.
They also raised concerns about enforcement and the inclusion of a private right of action.
Under the bill, additional responsibilities for the Attorney General who:
➡️Administers the fund generated through enforcement actions
➡️Establishes grant eligibility criteria and application processes
➡️Sets reporting requirements for recipients (subject to JLBC approval)
Several Arizona AI and Age Verification bills have this same language. The next Attorney General will not just interpret the law.
They will decide:
✔️how aggressively it is enforced
✔️what violations matter most
✔️which organizations receive funding
✔️and how Arizona defines “harm” in the digital age
That’s not a small role. That’s the control center.
And voters should pay attention to who is running for it.
@juliecbarrett
