Committee hears bill to ban AI-generated sexual images of minors and raise protected age to 18

A legislative director for Sen. Benson introduced Senate Bill 736, calling it a critical modernization of Maryland law to address AI-generated images that are indistinguishable from real minors. The sponsor’s office said the bill expands protections by raising the protected age from 16 to 18 for certain visual representations and creates civil remedies and an annual reporting requirement for the attorney general.

Lisa Jordan of the Maryland Coalition Against ****** Assault, Zachary Payne (a special‑victims prosecutor), Jonathan Alexander (Maryland Family Institute counsel), and victims’ advocates including Josie George and Peggy Kearns described rising volumes of online exploitation and urged the committee to support the bill. Payne cited Maryland State Police statistics showing an increase in cyber tips (13,000 one year, 21,000 the next) and argued current misdemeanor penalties (five-year range) do not match the harm; the bill would permit higher penalties and a civil cause of action for victims.

Witnesses stressed the legislation is narrowly drafted to exclude drawings, cartoons and protected expression, and proponents said it is intended to deter exploitation, help prosecutors and empower victims. The committee concluded the testimony; no vote is recorded in the transcript.