The Washington state House Community Safety Committee has approved legislation sponsored by Rep. Cyndy Jacobsen, R-Puyallup, this week, according to a news release.
House Bill 2146 makes it a class B felony to cause a minor child to view sexually explicit conduct and then record or livestream the child’s reaction.
Jacobsen sponsored the bill after hearing about Washington children who were exploited in this way.
“People engage in terrible behavior in front of a child and put it out on the internet,” Jacobsen said. “We need to end this grooming behavior that sexualizes innocent children and often leads to even greater harm.”
Abusers groom child victims by gaining their trust, isolating them from others and desensitizing them to sexual conduct before they ever touch them, the release stated.
Pierce County deputy prosecutors testified that, under current law, they can only charge perpetrators with a misdemeanor, unless the abuser had been convicted of a previous felony sexual offense.
Under HB 2146, offenders will be subject to a maximum of 10 years in prison, up from the 90-day maximum currently imposed by a judge.
“HB 2146 gives prosecutors the tools they need to investigate and prosecute the people responsible for these despicable crimes against children,” Jacobsen said. “My bill will also help keep the child safe from more abuse by keeping the offender behind bars for longer.”
The state House of Representatives has until Feb. 17 to act further on the bill.
The 60-day 2026 legislative session is scheduled to conclude on March 12.
