Dan Patrick Supports Senate Bill 20 to Combat AI-Generated Child Pornography

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick (R) issued a statement in support of the unanimous passage of Senate Bill 20, a piece of legislation aimed at combating the growing threat of AI-Generated child Pornography. The Bill, introduced by Senator Pete Flores (R), addresses the rising use of artificial intelligence in creating harmful, computer-generated content that exploits children.

In his statement, Lt. Gov. Patrick emphasized the need for Texas to be proactive in tackling the dangers posed by emerging technologies.

“As Texas enters the digital age, our state must be very careful about our approach to artificial intelligence. With the proliferation of AI-generated pornography, steps must be taken to protect Texans, and specifically children, from harmful computer-generated content and the crimes that arise from it,” said Patrick.

Lt. Gov.  Dan Patrick highlighted that the passage of SB 20 is part of a broader effort to keep Texas law up to date with advancements in technology while addressing the serious issue of child exploitation.

“I named SB 20 as a priority because Texas law must do more to eliminate all types of child pornography and stop the crimes that result from it,” Patrick continued. “SB 20 keeps Texas up to date with advancements in technology and cuts off any loopholes in the law to protect our kids. I thank Sen. Flores for his diligent work to address this important issue.”

Senate Bill 20 creates a new state felony offense for the possession or promotion of obscene visual material that depicts a child under 18 years old. This includes depictions of actual children, cartoons, animations, or images created using AI or other computer software, ensuring that no form of child exploitation is left unaddressed.

During the senate hearing, Sen. Flores spoke about the lack of protection for children affected by these AI-generated images.

“While current law prohibits AI-Generated pornographic material of real children, the law does not speak to images of artificially created children,” said Flores. “This material can be just as offensive and just as harmful and just as dangerous.”

This legislation reflects the ongoing effort by Texas lawmakers to stay ahead of emerging threats in the digital world. Lt. Gov. Patrick’s statement underscores the critical importance of enacting strong laws to prevent harm caused by technological advances.

The passage of SB 20 marks a significant step forward in protecting children from harmful online content and reinforcing Texas' commitment to safeguarding its communities from emerging dangers.