HB 2252 — An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in sexual offenses, further providing for the offense of unlawful dissemination of intimate image.

PRINTER'S NO.     2945

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 2252
                                               Session of
                                                 2026

     INTRODUCED BY KINKEAD, POWELL, ISAACSON, HILL-EVANS, FREEMAN,
        CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, McNEILL, GILLEN, FLEMING, SANCHEZ, MAYES,
        OTTEN, PIELLI, MERSKI, BOROWSKI, INGLIS, SHUSTERMAN, MADDEN,
        PROBST, BURGOS, D. WILLIAMS AND BOYD, FEBRUARY 26, 2026

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, FEBRUARY 26, 2026


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in sexual offenses, further providing
 3      for the offense of unlawful dissemination of intimate image.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6      Section 1.    Section 3131(a), (b), (c) and (g) of Title 18 of
 7   the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, amended or added October
 8   29, 2024 (P.L.1095, No.125), are amended and the section is
 9   amended by adding subsections to read:
10   § 3131.   Unlawful dissemination of intimate image.
11      (a)    Offense defined.--Except as provided in sections 5903
12   (relating to obscene and other sexual materials and
13   performances), 6312 (relating to sexual abuse of children) and
14   6321 (relating to transmission of sexually explicit images by
15   minor), a person commits the offense of unlawful dissemination
16   of intimate image if[, with intent to harass, annoy or alarm
17   another,] the person disseminates:
 1            (1)   [A visual depiction of the current or former sexual
 2      or intimate partner in a state of nudity or engaged in sexual
 3      conduct.] An intimate image of an individual.
 4            (2)   An artificially generated [sexual depiction]
 5      intimate image of an individual.
 6      (a.1)   Multiple images.--Dissemination of multiple intimate
 7   images of the same individual as part of a common act shall
 8   constitute a single offense under this section.
 9      (b)   Defense.--It is a defense to a prosecution under this
10   section that the actor disseminated the [visual depiction]
11   intimate image with the consent of the person depicted.
12      (c)   Grading.--
13            (1)   An offense under subsection (a)(1) shall be:
14                  (i)     A misdemeanor of the first degree, when the
15            person depicted is a minor.
16                  (ii)     A misdemeanor of the second degree, when the
17            person depicted is not a minor.
18                  (iii)    A misdemeanor of the first degree if the
19            dissemination is done with any of the following:
20                         (A)   The intent to harass or alarm.
21                         (B)   The intent to cause physical, mental,
22                  economic or reputational harm to the person depicted.
23                         (C)   The intent to obtain profit or pecuniary
24                  gain.
25                         (D)   The purpose of sexual arousal, sexual
26                  gratification, humiliation or degradation.
27            (2)   An offense under subsection (a)(2) shall be:
28                  (i)    A misdemeanor of the first degree, when the
29            person depicted is a minor.
30                  (ii)    A misdemeanor of the second degree, when the

20260HB2252PN2945                         - 2 -
 1            person depicted is not a minor.
 2                  (iii)    A misdemeanor of the first degree if the
 3            dissemination is done with any of the following:
 4                         (A)   The intent to harass or alarm.
 5                         (B)   The intent to cause physical, mental,
 6                  economic or reputational harm to the person depicted.
 7                         (C)   The intent to obtain profit or pecuniary
 8                  gain.
 9                         (D)   The purpose of sexual arousal, sexual
10                  gratification, humiliation or degradation.
11      (c.1)   Statute of limitations.--A prosecution under this
12   section must be commenced within five years after the commission
13   of the offense or within three years after the date the victim
14   discovers the offense or reasonably should have discovered the
15   offense through the exercise of due diligence, whichever is
16   later.
17      * * *
18      (g)   Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
19   words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
20   subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
21      "Artificial intelligence."
22            (1)   A machine-based system that can, for a given set of
23      human-defined objectives, make predictions, recommendations
24      or decisions influencing real or virtual environments,
25      including the ability to:
26                  (i)    perceive real and virtual environments;
27                  (ii)    abstract perceptions made under this paragraph
28            into models through analysis in an automated manner; and
29                  (iii)    use model inference to formulate options for
30            information or action based on outcomes under

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 1          subparagraphs (i) and (ii).
 2          (2)   The term includes generative artificial
 3      intelligence.
 4      ["Artificially generated sexual depiction."   A visual
 5   depiction:
 6          (1)   that appears to authentically depict an individual
 7      in a state of nudity or engaged in sexual conduct that did
 8      not occur in reality; and
 9          (2)   the production of which was substantially dependent
10      upon technical means, including artificial intelligence or
11      photo editing software, rather than the ability of another
12      person to physically impersonate the other person.]
13      "Artificially generated intimate image."   An image that:
14          (1)   appears to authentically depict an intimate image of
15      an individual that did not occur in reality; or
16          (2)   was produced substantially by technical means,
17      including artificial intelligence or photo editing software,
18      rather than by the ability of another person to physically
19      impersonate the individual.
20      "Generative artificial intelligence."   The class of models
21   that emulate the structure and characteristics of input data in
22   order to generate derived synthetic content, including
23   information such as images, videos, audio clips or text, that
24   has been significantly modified or generated by algorithms,
25   including by artificial intelligence.
26      "Intimate image."   A still or video image that depicts:
27          (1)   the wholly or partially uncovered genitals, pubic
28      area, anus or postpubescent female nipple or areola of an
29      individual;
30          (2)   the display or transfer of semen or vaginal

20260HB2252PN2945                   - 4 -
 1      secretion; or
 2          (3)    sexually explicit conduct.
 3      "Law enforcement officer."    Any officer of the United States,
 4   of the Commonwealth or political subdivision thereof, or of
 5   another state or subdivision thereof, who is empowered to
 6   conduct investigations of or to make arrests for offenses
 7   enumerated in this title or an equivalent crime in another
 8   jurisdiction, and any attorney authorized by law to prosecute or
 9   participate in the prosecution of such offense.
10      "Minor."   An individual under 18 years of age.
11      ["Nudity."   As defined in section 5903(e).]
12      "Photo editing software."    A software used primarily for
13   editing photographs, videos or computer depictions that contains
14   a variety of filters, effects or tools that can be used to
15   manipulate photographs, videos or computer depictions.
16      ["Sexual conduct."    As defined in section 5903(e).
17      "Visual depiction."   As defined in section 6321.]
18      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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