In the state of Nebraska, 170 new laws officially go on the books Sunday, three months after this year’s legislative session ended. Among them is a long delayed clamp-down on revenge porn.
Nebraska had been one of seven states with no law to prohibit the practice known as “revenge porn,” or nonconsensual pornography. The new law will let prosecutors bring new felony charges against perpetrators.
“Revenge porn is increasingly common and the new law sends a clear message to those who would violate their trust and privacy in the worst way imaginable,” said Sen. Adam Morfeld, of Lincoln, the law’s lead sponsor.
Nebraska state lawmakers passed LB630 in May –a bill prohibiting the intentional sharing of intimate images.
Sponsored by Lincoln Sen. Adam Morefeld, LB630 created the offense of sharing private images of intimate areas or individuals engaged in sexual acts.
A hearing on a similar bill introduced by Sen. Megan Hunt, LB164, was held in mid-March. LB164 went to committee along with Sen. Morfeld’s bill and was combined into what was l;attar passed in a 47-0 vote.
If the provision is violated, the individual would be charged with a Class I misdemeanor for a first offense, punishable by up to a year in prison, a $1,000 fine or both.
A second and all subsequent offenses are a Class IV felony, which would be punishable by up to two years in prison with 12 months of post-release supervision, a $10,000 fine or both.
LB630 would make threatening to distribute intimate images with intent to intimidate or harass a person a Class I misdemeanor.
According to the Unicameral Update, the bill “provides an affirmative defense for juveniles who possess a visual depiction that was knowingly and voluntarily provided by another juvenile who is within four years of age of the defendant.”
Read more about the bill here.
Other laws taking effect Sunday include statutes that take aim at scam phone calls from fake numbers, impose new requirements on abortion providers under new state laws, and require state law enforcement to study cases involving missing Native American women.
