Creating a false identity on social media and providing a penalty

What it would have done

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Under current law, a person is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor if he or she, with the intent to frighten, intimidate, threaten, abuse, or harass, sends an e-mail or other electronic message that threatens a person or property, that contains obscene, lewd, or profane language or suggests a lewd or lascivious act, or while intentionally preventing the disclosure of his or her identity. This bill adds to the list of intentions the intent to defraud or harm and adds that it is a Class B misdemeanor if the person posts such a message, not just sends a message. In addition, this bill provides that a person is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor if he or she, with the intent to frighten, intimidate, harm, threaten, abuse, harass, or defraud, knowingly uses a name or other likeness of another person on a computerized communication system to create a false identity without that person's consent (a practice commonly known as catfishing).

Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime, the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a report.

Who's behind it

18 lawmakers are its authors⁠. 12 are Republicans and 6 are Democrats.

4 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.