The bill H.875 aims to strengthen the legal framework surrounding the possession and promotion of child sexual abuse materials by explicitly including computer-generated images that are indistinguishable from actual children engaged in sexual conduct. It amends existing definitions and provisions in Vermont's criminal statutes, specifically under 13 V.S.A. 2821, 2824, and 2827, to clarify that such computer-generated images fall under the same prohibitions as traditional depictions of child sexual abuse. The bill introduces new definitions, such as "computer generated" and "indistinguishable," to ensure that any visual or print medium that appears to depict a child in sexual conduct is treated with the same severity as actual recordings.

Additionally, the bill outlines specific exemptions for certain entities and circumstances, such as law enforcement investigations and bona fide educational purposes, while also establishing affirmative defenses for defendants in related prosecutions. Notably, it includes provisions for adversarial testing of artificial intelligence systems to mitigate risks associated with generating harmful content. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026, allowing for a transition period for compliance with the new regulations.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 13-2821, 13-2824, 13-2827