1     
CRIMINAL CODE AMENDMENTS

2     
2019 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Michael K. McKell

5     
Senate Sponsor: Curtis S. Bramble

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill amends provisions relating to distribution of an intimate image and indecent
10     liberties.
11     Highlighted Provisions:
12          This bill:
13          ▸     changes the intent provisions for the crime of distribution of an intimate image from
14     intent to cause emotional distress to knowing that the distribution would cause a
15     reasonable person emotional distress;
16          ▸     provides that indecent liberties includes the touching of certain areas of the body or
17     causing certain areas of the body to be touched; and
18          ▸     adds particular offenses to provisions in which any touching is sufficient as an
19     element of the offense.
20     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
21          None
22     Other Special Clauses:
23          None
24     Utah Code Sections Affected:
25     AMENDS:
26          76-5-407, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2000, Chapter 128
27          76-5-416, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2018, Chapter 192
28          76-5b-203, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapter 124

29     

30     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
31          Section 1. Section 76-5-407 is amended to read:
32          76-5-407. Applicability of part -- "Penetration" or "touching" sufficient to
33     constitute offense.
34          (1) The provisions of this part do not apply to consensual conduct between persons
35     married to each other.
36          (2) In any prosecution for:
37          (a) the following offenses, any sexual penetration, however slight, is sufficient to
38     constitute the relevant element of the offense:
39          (i) unlawful sexual activity with a minor, a violation of Section 76-5-401, involving
40     sexual intercourse;
41          (ii) unlawful sexual conduct with a 16 or 17 year old, a violation of Section
42     76-5-401.2, involving sexual intercourse; or
43          (iii) rape, a violation of Section 76-5-402; or
44          (b) the following offenses, any touching, however slight, is sufficient to constitute the
45     relevant element of the offense:
46          (i) unlawful sexual activity with a minor, a violation of Section 76-5-401, involving
47     acts of sodomy;
48          (ii) unlawful sexual conduct with a 16 or 17 year old, a violation of Section
49     76-5-401.2, involving acts of sodomy;
50          (iii) sodomy, a violation of Subsection 76-5-403(1);
51          (iv) forcible sodomy, a violation of Subsection 76-5-403(2);
52          (v) rape of a child, a violation of Section 76-5-402.1; or
53          (vi) object rape of a child, a violation of Section 76-5-402.3.
54          (3) In any prosecution for the following offenses, any touching, even if accomplished
55     through clothing, is sufficient to constitute the relevant element of the offense:

56          (a) sodomy on a child, a violation of Section 76-5-403.1; [or]
57          (b) sexual abuse of a child or aggravated sexual abuse of a child, a violation of Section
58     76-5-404.1;
59          (c) sexual abuse of a minor, a violation of Section 76-5-401.1;
60          (d) unlawful sexual conduct with a 16- or 17-year-old, a violation of Section
61     76-5-401.2;
62          (e) forcible sexual abuse, a violation of Section 76-5-404;
63          (f) custodial sexual relations, a violation of Section 76-5-412; or
64          (g) custodial sexual relations or misconduct with youth receiving state services, a
65     violation of Section 76-5-413.
66          Section 2. Section 76-5-416 is amended to read:
67          76-5-416. Indecent liberties -- Definition.
68          As used in this part, "takes indecent liberties" means:
69          (1) the actor touching the [actor's] victim's genitals, anus, buttocks, pubic area, or
70     female breast [against any part of the body of the victim];
71          (2) causing any part of the [victim] victim's body to touch the actor's or another's
72     genitals, pubic area, anus, buttocks, or female breast;
73          (3) simulating or pretending to engage in sexual intercourse with the victim, including
74     genital-genital, oral-genital, anal-genital, or oral-anal intercourse; or
75          (4) causing the victim to simulate or pretend to engage in sexual intercourse with the
76     actor or another, including genital-genital, oral-genital, anal-genital, or oral-anal intercourse.
77          Section 3. Section 76-5b-203 is amended to read:
78          76-5b-203. Distribution of an intimate image -- Penalty.
79          (1) As used in this section:
80          (a) "Distribute" means selling, exhibiting, displaying, wholesaling, retailing, providing,
81     giving, granting admission to, providing access to, or otherwise transferring or presenting an
82     image to another individual, with or without consideration.

83          (b) "Intimate image" means any visual depiction, photograph, film, video, recording,
84     picture, or computer or computer-generated image or picture, whether made or produced by
85     electronic, mechanical, or other means, that depicts:
86          (i) exposed human male or female genitals or pubic area, with less than an opaque
87     covering;
88          (ii) a female breast with less than an opaque covering, or any portion of the female
89     breast below the top of the areola; or
90          (iii) the individual engaged in any sexually explicit conduct.
91          (c) "Sexually explicit conduct" means actual or simulated:
92          (i) sexual intercourse, including genital-genital, oral-genital, anal-genital, or oral-anal,
93     whether between persons of the same or opposite sex;
94          (ii) masturbation;
95          (iii) bestiality;
96          (iv) sadistic or masochistic activities;
97          (v) exhibition of the genitals, pubic region, buttocks, or female breast of any
98     individual;
99          (vi) visual depiction of nudity or partial nudity;
100          (vii) fondling or touching of the genitals, pubic region, buttocks, or female breast; or
101          (viii) explicit representation of the defecation or urination functions.
102          (d) "Simulated sexually explicit conduct" means a feigned or pretended act of sexually
103     explicit conduct that duplicates, within the perception of an average person, the appearance of
104     an actual act of sexually explicit conduct.
105          (2) An actor commits the offense of distribution of intimate images if the actor[, with
106     the intent to cause emotional distress or harm,] knowingly or intentionally distributes to any
107     third party any intimate image of an individual who is 18 years of age or older and knows or
108     should know that the distribution would cause a reasonable person to suffer emotional distress
109     or harm, if:

110          (a) the actor knows that the depicted individual has not given consent to the actor to
111     distribute the intimate image;
112          (b) the intimate image was created by or provided to the actor under circumstances in
113     which the individual has a reasonable expectation of privacy; and
114          (c) actual emotional distress or harm is caused to the person as a result of the
115     distribution under this section.
116          (3) This section does not apply to:
117          (a) (i) lawful practices of law enforcement agencies;
118          (ii) prosecutorial agency functions;
119          (iii) the reporting of a criminal offense;
120          (iv) court proceedings or any other judicial proceeding; or
121          (v) lawful and generally accepted medical practices and procedures;
122          (b) an intimate image if the individual portrayed in the image voluntarily allows public
123     exposure of the image; [or]
124          (c) an intimate image that is portrayed in a lawful commercial setting[.]; or
125          (d) an intimate image that is related to a matter of public concern or interest.
126          (4) (a) This section does not apply to an Internet service provider or interactive
127     computer service, as defined in 47 U.S.C. Sec. 230(f)(2), a provider of an electronic
128     communications service as defined in 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2510, a telecommunications service,
129     information service, or mobile service as defined in 47 U.S.C. Sec. 153, including a
130     commercial mobile service as defined in 47 U.S.C. Sec. 332(d), or a cable operator as defined
131     in 47 U.S.C. Sec. 522, if:
132          (i) the distribution of an intimate image by the Internet service provider occurs only
133     incidentally through the provider's function of:
134          (A) transmitting or routing data from one person to another person; or
135          (B) providing a connection between one person and another person;
136          (ii) the provider does not intentionally aid or abet in the distribution of the intimate

137     image; and
138          (iii) the provider does not knowingly receive from or through a person who distributes
139     the intimate image a fee greater than the fee generally charged by the provider, as a specific
140     condition for permitting the person to distribute the intimate image.
141          (b) This section does not apply to a hosting company, as defined in Section
142     76-10-1230, if:
143          (i) the distribution of an intimate image by the hosting company occurs only
144     incidentally through the hosting company's function of providing data storage space or data
145     caching to a person;
146          (ii) the hosting company does not intentionally engage, aid, or abet in the distribution
147     of the intimate image; and
148          (iii) the hosting company does not knowingly receive from or through a person who
149     distributes the intimate image a fee greater than the fee generally charged by the provider, as a
150     specific condition for permitting the person to distribute, store, or cache the intimate image.
151          (c) A service provider, as defined in Section 76-10-1230, is not negligent under this
152     section if it complies with Section 76-10-1231.
153          (5) (a) Distribution of an intimate image is a class A misdemeanor except under
154     Subsection (5)(b).
155          (b) Distribution of an intimate image is a third degree felony on a second or subsequent
156     conviction for an offense under this section that arises from a separate criminal episode as
157     defined in Section 76-1-401.