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Bill To Update Revenge Porn Laws Moves Forward

A bill that eliminates the requirement in Utah's revenge porn laws that victims must have experienced “actual distress” passed the Utah House on Monday. 

H.B.147 is one of many that has been considered in response to the murder of University of Utah student athlete Lauren McCluskey in 2018. After McCuskey’s death, a police officer on her case accessed explicit photos of her many times, but because she was dead there is no legal recourse for his action. If the new bill is passed, sharing intimate photos of someone without their consent will be illegal whether or not that person is still alive. 

The Deseret Newsreported that during the floor discussion for the bill, Rep. Merrill Nelson of Grantsville pointed out that the new legislation still provides an exemption for “lawful practices of law enforcement agencies,” which may have still prevented the prosecution of hte officer who shared photos of McCluskey.