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House Judiciary advances bill to criminalize pattern of obscene communications targeting minors
Summary
House Bill 189, which would create offenses for repeated obscene communications aimed at minors and add civil remedies and a close‑age exception, passed the House Judiciary Committee and moves to the floor after multiple committee amendments.
The House Judiciary Committee voted to advance House Bill 189 on Wednesday after adopting a package of committee amendments that refine definitions, add civil remedies and create a close‑age exception for certain consensual relationships.
Representative Jessica Lien, sponsor of HB189, told the committee the bill seeks to fill "a void within the Wyoming law where an individual may speak to a child in a sexual manner or send inappropriate pictures ... without being charged with a crime." She described the measure as targeting a pattern of communications meant for "personal sexual gratification" and said the bill sets a low threshold for a pattern (two communications) while remaining open to amendment.
Key provisions adopted in committee include: a definition of obscene material and a statutory offense for knowingly engaging in a pattern of written, electronic or verbal communications directed toward a person…
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