HB 2252 changesAn Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in sexual offenses, further providing for the offense of unlawful dissemination of intimate image; and, in minors, further providing for the offense of sexual abuse of children.

What changed

+19 / −142 words · LargeConfidence: medium

This version significantly narrows HB 2252 by reverting to an earlier scope focused exclusively on unlawful dissemination of intimate images, eliminating all provisions related to sexual abuse of children that had been added in prior amendments. The bill removes three sponsors and strips out directives to the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing regarding sentencing enhancements for familial sexual abuse. Within the remaining intimate image offense provisions, the changes include removing the explicit requirement that depicted individuals be identifiable, eliminating the 'negligently' mental state standard for the offense, and reclassifying the penalty when the victim is not a minor from a third-degree misdemeanor to a second-degree misdemeanor—though the section summaries present conflicting interpretations of whether this represents an increase or decrease in severity. These changes collectively represent a substantial rollback of the bill's scope and a recalibration of the intimate image offense elements.

Change log

• SECTION 1 > (a)

  modifiedhigh confidence

  Mens rea for unlawful dissemination of intimate image changed from 'negligently' to no specified mental state

  The bill removes the word 'NEGLIGENTLY' from the definition of unlawful dissemination of intimate image. Previously, the offense required that a person negligently disseminate such images; the amended text removes this mental state requirement, leaving the offense definition without an explicit mens rea standard. The bracketed text indicating intent to harass, annoy, or alarm appears to remain excluded from the operative definition in both versions.

• SECTION 1 > (3)

  modifiedhigh confidence

  Technical/conforming change

  This section makes minor technical corrections to the definitions subsection. The phrase 'sexually explicit conduct' is corrected from a garbled version, and markup indicators are removed. The definition of 'Visual depiction' is retained in the final text without substantive modification.

• SECTION 1 > (2)

  modifiedhigh confidence

  Definition of 'intimate image' simplified by removing requirement to depict an identifiable individual

  The definition of 'intimate image' is narrowed from 'a still or video image of an identifiable individual' to simply 'a still or video image.' This removes the express requirement that the depicted person be identifiable. The change appears alongside definitions for 'generative artificial intelligence,' suggesting coordination with AI-related provisions elsewhere in the bill.