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Committee expands ban on unsolicited explicit electronic messages to include text messages
Summary
The committee passed House Bill 1957, which adds text messages to an existing Arkansas prohibition on unsolicited explicit commercial emails; the sponsor said the change aims to prevent burdensome junk messaging on phones.
Representative Meeks presented House Bill 1957 and told the committee the bill extends an existing state prohibition on unsolicited commercial or explicit emails to cover text messages.
Meeks said that while unsolicited explicit photos sent by email are already illegal in Arkansas, the rise of text messaging makes it prudent to add the words "text messages" to the current statute. He described the rationale as preventing phones from becoming clogged with junk in the same way many users find their inboxes overwhelmed.
The nut graf: the bill’s explicit purpose is to add text-message coverage to an existing law outlawing unsolicited explicit email and to clarify related provisions, according to the sponsor.
No witnesses for or against were recorded in committee. Representative Meeks closed and moved to pass the bill; the committee approved the motion by voice vote and no opposing voices were recorded in the transcript. The bill’s text and any implementing definitions were not read into the record during the presentation, and no amendments or follow-up tasks were recorded.
