Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Heated hearing on indecent‑exposure rewrite raises constitutional and targeting concerns
Summary
HB 446 would expand indecent‑exposure law to specify public places and add language tied to 'dignity'; supporters say it fills statutory gaps while opponents — including domestic‑violence advocates, trans advocates, and legal groups — say it is vague, risks criminalizing ordinary behavior, and appears to target transgender and non‑binary people.
Representative Jedidiah Hinkle opened HB 446 by saying Montana’s indecent-exposure law needs updating to ensure that public‑place exposures and harms to a person’s dignity are chargeable. He repeatedly tied his proposal to Article II, Section 4 of the Montana Constitution, which “recognizes the dignity of the human being as inviolable.”
Proponents, including Derek Oestricher (chief legal counsel for the Montana Family Foundation), urged the committee to link statutory protection to the constitutional concept of dignity so individuals who knowingly expose intimate parts and thus violate another’s dignity could be held accountable. Oestricher said the bill would align law with constitutional protections and provide a clear standard for accountability.
Opponents across…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat