The bill establishes a new offense, defined as "sexual communication with minors," which prohibits adults from engaging in specific types of communication with individuals under the age of eighteen. This includes any obscene communication that involves explicit sexual content, requests for sexual images, or attempts to normalize sexual contact between adults and minors. The bill outlines penalties for violations, with first offenses classified as felonies punishable by up to five years in prison and fines ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. Subsequent offenses carry harsher penalties, including longer prison terms and higher fines. Additionally, individuals convicted under this section may face restrictions on social media use and forfeiture of devices used for communication.

The bill also allows minor victims, or their parents or legal guardians, to file civil lawsuits for damages related to these offenses, independent of any criminal proceedings. It specifies that the law does not apply to age-appropriate sex education programs and includes provisions regarding the notification of parents or guardians in cases where they may be implicated in the violation. Furthermore, the bill amends existing law to include the new offense in the registration requirements for offenders convicted of sexual crimes against minors. The act is set to take effect immediately upon its passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 7-19-302
Engrossed: 7-19-302