Cyber Bully Bill Before Full House — The House Judiciary Committee unanimously approved legislation, May 7, to address cyber harassment of a child, reports State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129).
HB 1163 would make it a third-degree misdemeanor to use electronic communications to repeatedly make statements or offer opinions about a child’s sexuality or sexual activity “whether true or not”. The bill also would make it a misdemeanor to make statements that significantly ridicule, demean or cause serious embarrassment to a child under the circumstances or offer a threat of unlawful harm.
Child is defined as someone under the age of 18.
It exempts communications made for “medical, education or other legitimate purposes, if the actor is an adult”.
House Bill 1163 now goes to the full House for consideration.