The proposed House Bill 82 aims to strengthen the legal framework surrounding crimes against children, particularly focusing on sexual offenses. A key feature of the bill is the introduction of a new offense termed "grooming of a child for a sexual offense," which involves manipulative behavior aimed at leading a child into sexual conduct. The bill revises the definition of sexual offenses to include grooming and expands the offense of sexual abuse of children to cover computer-generated child pornography. Additionally, it amends various sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to allow law enforcement officers to pose as children, thereby enhancing protections for minors.

The bill also imposes stricter penalties for offenders, especially when the victim is under 16 years of age, with severe offenses potentially resulting in life imprisonment. It clarifies that a belief by the offender that the victim is an adult is not a valid defense, and it introduces definitions for terms such as "computer-generated child pornography." Furthermore, the bill revises legal language regarding obscenity, making it illegal to distribute obscene materials to individuals under 18 or those believed to be underage, including undercover officers. The effective date for these changes is set for July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_1(1): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_1(2): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_1(3): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_1(4): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_1(5): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_1(6): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_1(7): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_1: 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_2(1): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_2(10): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_2(11): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_2(12): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_2(13): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_2(14): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_2(2): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_2(3): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_2(4): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_2(5): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_2(6): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_2(7): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_2(8): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_2(9): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_2: 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_3(1): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_3(10): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_3(11): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_3(12): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_3(13): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_3(2): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_3(3): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_3(4): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_3(5): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_3(6): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_3(7): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_3(8): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_3(9): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_3: 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_X(1): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_X(10): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_X(11): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_X(12): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_X(13): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_X(14): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_X(15): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_X(16): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_X(17): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_X(2): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_X(3): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_X(4): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_X(5): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_X(6): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_X(7): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_X(8): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_X(9): 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509
HB0082_X: 45-5-504, 45-5-601, 45-5-625, 45-5-711, 45-8-201, 46-23-502, 46-23-509