Governor signs ‘revenge porn’ bills
On July 9, Governor Jay Inslee signed House Bills 1272 and 2160, both addressing the crime of 'revenge porn,' into law. Rep. Vincent Buys, R-Lynden, sponsored House Bill 1272, and it makes the distribution of intimate images of persons, without their consent, a gross misdemeanor on the first offense and a class C felony on the second offense.
House Bill 2160, sponsored by Rep. Sharon Wylie, D-Vancouver, creates a civil liability against persons who distribute an intimate image without the consent of the person pictured.
“Revenge porn” is a term used to describe the practice of posting private, intimate images of a person without their consent, with the intention of causing emotional distress.
PHOTO CAPTION: Rep. Vincent Buys (second to left) has his bill, HB 1272, to address the crime of “revenge porn” signed by the governor July 9, 2015.
