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Judiciary committee advances amendment-expanding harassment law to cover online publication of personal information
Summary
House Bill 1134, amended in the House and presented to the Senate Judiciary Committee, would expand the Century Code definition of harassment to address doxxing and online publication of personal information; the committee gave the bill a due-pass recommendation.
The Senate Judiciary Committee recommended a due pass on House Bill 1134, which expands the state's harassment law to address the online publication of personal and identifying information for the purpose of harassment (commonly called doxxing).
Representative Matt Heilman, presenting the bill on behalf of a constituent, said the proposal aims to add online publication of sensitive personal information to the harassment definition so victims who have personal data posted and targeted by harassment have recourse under state law. "This was a bill on behalf of one of my good friends dealing with doxxing," Heilman said. He described the change as an expansion of the Century Code harassment definition and said the current law does not clearly cover this form of conduct.
TechND, the state's technology trade association, testified in support in the committee's hearing. Terry Efforts, executive director of TechND, said the organization supports responsible use of technology and the bill "in its current form." He noted the bill had undergone changes and that TechND did not lobby actively on an earlier version but supports the amended approach.
Senator Cory moved a due-pass recommendation, seconded by Senator Myrdal. The committee recorded affirmative roll-call votes and the chair announced the motion carried. The committee named Senator Myrtle (the transcript identifies "Senator Myrtle" as the senator to carry the bill) to carry the bill to the floor.
Ending — HB 1134 was advanced with a due-pass recommendation; the bill’s amended language broadens the harassment statute to encompass certain online publication of personal information, and supporters described the change as a targeted response to doxxing incidents.
