MANCHESTER — A law that goes into effect today in New Hampshire that bans “cyber flashing” of lewd images.
House Bill 1388, whose co-sponsors included Rep. Jennifer Rhodes, R-Winchester, prohibits sending unsolicited “images of himself or herself fornicating, exposing his or her genitals, or performing any other act of gross lewdness.”
The law amends New Hampshire’s public indecency, indecent exposure and lewdness law, which already makes flashing and lewd exposure a crime in person.
This law now applies to digital communications.
Flashing someone electronically will be treated the same as exposing onself in public.
Lyn Schollett, executive director of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, testified in support of HB 1388.
She said that sending unwanted sexual images to adults and teens should be punished at the same level as sending them to children.
Other states, such as Texas, made sending unwanted sexual images a misdemeanor back in 2019.
