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House passes amended bill criminalizing pattern 'grooming' of minors after lengthy debate and multiple amendments
Summary
House Bill 9, a measure creating a crime for pattern grooming behavior directed at children, passed the Committee of the Whole after a long debate and eight committee amendments that narrowed and clarified scope, penalties, online/digital coverage, and age thresholds.
House Bill 9 — which would criminalize repeated and intentional conduct aimed at preparing a minor for sexual contact or exploitation — passed out of the Committee of the Whole after extended debate and a series of amendments intended to refine the bill’s reach and penalties.
Representative Lee, the bill’s floor explainer, said the statute targets patterns and intent rather than single communications: "It does not criminalize a single text message or compliment," Lee said, adding the offense focuses on a deliberate pattern to normalize…
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