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Committee advances bill to clarify child-exploitation statute to explicitly include female chest/breasts
Summary
The Labor, Health & Social Services Committee passed House Bill 28 to amend Wyoming's child-exploitation statute by explicitly including the chest/breasts of females in the definition of explicit conduct. Supporters said the change closes a drafting gap and will aid prosecutions; the bill passed committee 9-0 and will be carried to the floor by the sponsor.
A bill to clarify Wyoming's child-exploitation statute passed the Labor, Health & Social Services Committee after brief debate and supportive public testimony.
Representative Strzok, sponsor of House Bill 28, told the committee the measure is "a short bill" intended to amend the statutory definition of explicit conduct to include the chest or breasts of females, a drafting omission he said allowed a prior case to escape conviction. "I would just ask for favorable consideration of this so we can get this in the books and stop some of this from happening to our children," he said.
The bill drew support from law enforcement and prosecutors. Alan Thompson of the Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police said the language "helps clear up that absence" and makes prosecution easier. Laramie County District Attorney Sylvia Hackle, speaking online for the Wyoming County and Prosecuting Attorneys Association, said the change will help prevent defendants from arguing that the legislature omitted conduct they should have included.
Patricia McCoy of the Wyoming chapter of Moms for Liberty urged passage, framing the measure as a nonpartisan attempt to close a loophole. "When definitions are vague, loopholes are created," she said, asking the committee to support HB 28.
Representative Thayer asked whether the statute should be gender neutral (proposing the phrase "chest or breasts of a person"). Representative Strzok said he preferred to leave the drafting as presented based on prior work and input; Thayer then withdrew the friendly amendment.
On a roll-call vote the committee recorded nine ayes and Chairman Rodriguez Willington announced that House Bill 28 had passed committee and that the sponsor would carry the bill to the floor. The committee took no further amendments, and there was no recorded opposition during committee consideration.
Next steps: the sponsor will present HB 28 to the full House as it moves out of committee.
