Get AI Briefings, Transcripts & Alerts on Local & National Government Meetings — Forever.
Committee adopts amendment to strengthen penalties for clandestine recording offenses
Loading...
Summary
The Rules Committee adopted an amendment to House Bill 4104 that elevates clandestine‑recording or 'upskirting' offenses involving three or more separate victims to felony level; the bill as amended passed committee unanimously, 18–0.
House Bill 4104, presented by Senator Galahara, would strengthen penalties for repeat ‘peeping tom’ and clandestine recording offenses and, under an adopted amendment, classify conduct involving three or more separate victims as a felony.
Senator Galahara explained the amendment as expanding the offense when photos are taken of people’s private areas or in public spaces involving three distinct victims: “The amendment includes 3 or more victims… So if you have 3 separate victims… it advances it to a felony,” she said while describing the intent to address repeated offending against multiple victims.
Senator Bullard asked whether the amendment requires three separate victim individuals rather than one victim targeted multiple times. Galahara confirmed the amendment targets three separate victims and compared the structure to robbery statutes that count separate offenses across multiple victims.
The committee adopted the amendment by voice vote and then passed HB 4104 as amended; the clerk recorded 18 ayes and 0 nays. The sponsor told the committee the change responds to a recent judicial opinion but did not provide a citation during the hearing.
What happens next: HB 4104 moves from the Rules Committee as passed and will proceed to subsequent steps in the legislative process.