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119-hr-5090119th Congress

HONOR Act

Sponsored By: Representative Mace, Nancy [R-SC-1]

Introduced

Summary

Prohibits nonconsensual sharing of intimate images and AI-generated forgeries under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The HONOR Act would create four specific criminal prohibitions, add detailed definitions, and list limited exceptions for investigative and medical uses.

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  • Service members and identifiable individuals: Would make it a crime to knowingly broadcast, distribute, or publish an authentic intimate visual depiction of an adult without consent when the image was shared with a reasonable expectation of privacy and causes or intends harm, including psychological, financial, or reputational harm.
  • Minors: Would bar distribution or publication of intimate images or digital forgeries of anyone under 18 when done to humiliate, abuse, harass, degrade, or to arouse sexual desire.
  • Enforcement and limits: Offenses would be treated as wrongful distribution and punishable by court-martial. The bill also defines consent as affirmative and voluntary, defines digital forgery to include AI-made fakes, and lists exceptions for lawful investigations, medical or educational uses, and disclosures meant to assist the victim.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Tougher rules for military intimate images

If enacted, service members would face a ban on publishing intimate images of adults without consent in many cases. It would apply when the person expected privacy, the image was not public or a matter of public concern, and sharing was meant to harm or caused harm. It would also ban publishing intimate images or digital forgeries of anyone under 18 to humiliate, harass, degrade, or for sexual arousal. Violations would be a Uniform Code of Military Justice offense, and a court-martial could set the punishment.

Consent rules and exceptions for military images

If enacted, consent would mean an affirmative, voluntary yes. Saying yes to create an image would not mean yes to share it, and sharing once would not allow others to reshare. The bill would define key terms, including “digital forgery” (AI‑made or altered images that look real) and “minor” (under 18). It would allow narrow exceptions, such as lawful police work, court filings, medical care or teaching, reporting unlawful content, seeking help after receiving an unsolicited image, helping the victim, or publishing your own images.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Mace, Nancy [R-SC-1]

SC • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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