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House passes voyeurism amendments after sponsor cites Washington state ruling
Summary
The House passed House Bill 129 unanimously after Representative Goodfellow said a recent Washington state high-court decision revealed a gap in state law; the bill expands voyeurism prohibitions to include recording with cameras and reflective devices and adds enhanced penalties for sale or distribution of images.
Representative Brent Goodfellow explained that House Bill 129 responds to a Washington State Supreme Court ruling he cited in a news article describing an incident in which a woman was secretly filmed. Goodfellow said the ruling showed a gap in statute and that HB 129 would make it a crime to intentionally use a camcorder, motion-picture camera, or reflective device to record another person in a private or vulnerable situation and add enhanced penalties for sale or distribution of such images.
Goodfellow said drafters worked to balance free‑speech concerns with the need to protect privacy, noting the bill’s language and penalties are framed narrowly. After questions were waived, the House recorded a vote of 68 yes, 0 no; the bill passed this chamber and was sent to the Senate for consideration.
Representative Goodfellow offered to answer questions and described specific line references in the bill (e.g., penalties on page 3 lines 86–103) during his floor explanation.
