Legislation to expand the offense of unlawful photography and increase penalties for offenders advanced out of the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee recently.
House Bill 403, sponsored by State Rep. John Crawford, R-Bristol, broadens the definition of unlawful photography to include any photograph the defendant knew would capture the victim engaged in sexual activity. The bill raises the penalty for unlawful photography from a Class A misdemeanor or Class E felony to a Class D felony in certain circumstances.
“Hopefully this will bring us back up to where these perverts are being properly dealt with and maybe put some fear in some of them before they commit the crime,” Crawford told members of the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee on Feb. 26.
The legislation also allows victims of unlawful photography to request an order of protection, providing greater legal safeguards for Tennesseans who have been victims of or threatened with this heinous crime.
