The Alabama House of Representatives has passed a bill that would require makers of cellphones and tablets to equip the devices with a filter to block pornography that would be activated when the device is activated for use by a minor.

The bill, HB167 by Rep. Chris Sells, R-Greenville, passed by a vote of 98-0. It moves to the Senate.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers spoke in support of the bill during the brief time it was discussed before the vote.

Sells has sponsored similar bills for several years but they have not passed. His bill passed the House last year but did not pass the Senate.

HB167 says that beginning on Jan. 1, 2026, all smartphones and tablets activated in the state must contain a filter, determine the age of the user during activation and account set-up, and set the filter to “on” for minor users. The devices must include the capability to deactivate and reactivate the filter with a password.

The filter must be able to block access to obscenity as it is defined under state law.

The bill says a manufacturer can be subject to civil and criminal liability if a device is activated in the state, does not, upon activation, enable a filter that complies with the law, and a minor accesses obscene material on the device.

The bill says retailers would not be liable.