AB 68

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.