Legislation That Closes Dangerous Loophole Protecting Child Predators Passes House

Santa Fe, NM Legislation that would close a dangerous loophole that allows child predators to send
pictures of another persons naked body to anyone under the age of 16 without any criminal penalties has
passed the House of Representatives by a unanimous vote.
Democrats and Republicans in the House came together to close this dangerous loophole that allows
sexual predators to get off the hook, said Rep. Kelly Fajardo, the bills sponsor. Now it is time for the
Senate to act.
Currently, predators who send a picture of their own genitalia to a child are punished with a fourth-degree
felony. The legislation would close the loophole and make it a fourth-degree felony for anyone to send
obscene pictures of any person to children.
It is common for child predators to send inappropriate pictures to solicit children. And more often than
not, predators send inappropriate photos of other people allowing them to get away without being
charged with a sexual offense.
In 2014, this bill was introduced and received unanimous support from the State House of
Representatives. The bill also passed unanimously through Senate Public Affairs Committee.
Unfortunately, there was not enough time left in the legislative session for the State Senate to vote.
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