Judiciary committee advances bill to require felony voyeurism offenders to register regardless of victim age

The House Judiciary Committee voted to advance Senate File 122, a bill to require people convicted of felony voyeurism to register on the state sex-offender registry regardless of the victim’s age.

Senator Ed Cooper, Senate District 20, told the committee the measure simply removes the phrase “if the victim was a minor” from current law, extending the registration requirement to all victims of felony-level voyeurism. Cooper said the change applies only to those whose conduct rises to felony voyeurism and not to ordinary private consensual conduct.

A victim who identified herself as Melanie told the committee she had been targeted while working: "Police uncovered over a year's worth of video recordings, which they equated to over 100,000 captured images," she said. Melanie said a male coworker placed a camera under the bathroom sink and recorded coworkers over a period of years. "This was not an accidental crime. This was premeditated, and it was malicious," she said. She said the perpetrator was convicted on four felony counts, served two years in prison and two years of supervised probation, and was not required to register under the law in effect at the time.

Testifying about the registry’s purpose, Director Chambers (identified in committee remarks as Director Chambers) told members the registry is intended primarily as a preventive measure rather than an additional punishment: "The intent behind having someone register is, for prevention," she said, noting data that suggests some predators do not "age out" of offending.

Committee members asked questions about the bill’s scope and intent. Senator Cooper said the change targets only felony voyeurism and is aimed at making registration available when offenders are convicted of that higher-level offense.

The committee approved the bill on a voice and roll call after Representative Feiler moved and Representative Webb seconded. The roll call recorded nine ayes and no nos; the clerk announced "9 ayes do pass." The sponsor said representatives on the House side would coordinate to carry the bill to the floor.

Senator Cooper and the victim urged the committee to move the bill so victims would have the notice and protections that registration can provide.

Votes at a glance

- Senate File 122 — Motion to advance the bill: moved by Representative Feiler, seconded by Representative Webb. Roll call: Representative Bridal (Aye), Representative Freund (Aye), Representative Chastick (Aye), Representative Feiler (Aye), Representative Kelly (Aye), Representative Lee (Aye), Vice Chair Singh (Aye), Representative Webb (Aye), Chairman Wasatch (Aye). Tally: 9 ayes, 0 nos. Outcome: Do pass.