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KentuckySB 732025 Regular SessionSenate

AN ACT relating to sexual extortion.

Sponsored By: Julie Raque Adams (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Corrections ImpactLocal MandateCrimes and PunishmentsEducation, Elementary and SecondaryEducation, HigherEducation, VocationalState AgenciesUniversities and Colleges

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Sexual extortion victims can recover damages

Sexual extortion victims can sue in circuit court for actual losses, punitive damages, court costs, and reasonable lawyer fees. An estate representative can sue for a victim; a parent or legal guardian can sue for a minor. Cases can be filed where the violation happened or where the victim lives. Each person liable for the same violation can be held responsible for the full damages. Specified internet and communications providers keep liability protections when acting in their protected roles, including handling user-provided content.

Schools give families sexual extortion warnings

Kentucky public schools, including public charter schools, must give annual written notice about the sexual extortion law. Students in grade 4 and above, plus parents or guardians of all students, must receive it. The deadline is within 10 days of each school year's first instructional day. By August 1, 2025, each school building must display a prominent, readable sign in English and Spanish, at least 8.5 by 11 inches. Signs must explain sexual extortion and list state or local and federal law-enforcement contacts and a national suicide-prevention hotline. They must also link to National Center for Missing & Exploited Children support resources or a federally funded successor's resources. Kentucky's education department must publish recommended notice content by July 15, 2025.

Sexual extortion convictions trigger sex-offender classification

Kentucky now counts felony sexual extortion as a sex crime. This brings people convicted of that felony into the state's sex-offender classification framework. The change applies only to felony sexual extortion convictions.

Sexual extortion offenders face felony penalties

The law makes sexual extortion a felony. It covers threats involving violence, damage to property or reputation, or sharing sexual or nude images of the target. The threats must seek to force sexual conduct, sexual material, payment, or another action or failure to act. Intent to force that conduct is a Class D felony; causing it is a Class C felony. Listed factors raise the offense one class: prior specified sex convictions, trust or authority, weapons, minor victims, or kidnapping. Serious physical injury and qualifying suicide-related injury or death within 90 days also raise the class. Class A penalties apply when a victim under 12 suffers serious physical injury during or because of the offense. They also apply when offense-related trauma causes a suicide attempt with serious physical injury or suicide death within 90 days. The law excludes specified voluntary images, public-interest and law-enforcement disclosures, public-concern material, and providers acting in protected roles.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Julie Raque Adams

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Amanda Mays Bledsoe

    Republican • Senate

  • Brandon J. Storm

    Republican • Senate

  • Craig Richardson

    Republican • Senate

  • Danny Carroll

    Republican • Senate

  • Donald Douglas

    Republican • Senate

  • D. Yates

    Affiliation unavailable

  • Gary Boswell

    Republican • Senate

  • Greg Elkins

    Republican • Senate

  • Gerald A. Neal

    Democrat • Senate

  • Karen Berg

    Democrat • Senate

  • Lindsey Tichenor

    Republican • Senate

  • Matthew Deneen

    Republican • Senate

  • Matt Nunn

    Republican • Senate

  • Rick Girdler

    Republican • Senate

  • Robby Mills

    Republican • Senate

  • Scott Madon

    Republican • Senate

  • Steve Rawlings

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 132 • No: 0

House vote • 3/7/2025

3rd reading, passed

Yes: 94 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/12/2025

3rd reading, passed

Yes: 38 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 9)

    3/12/2025

  2. delivered to Governor

    3/7/2025

  3. enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House

    3/7/2025Senate

  4. enrolled, signed by President of the Senate

    3/7/2025Senate

  5. received in Senate

    3/7/2025Senate

  6. 3rd reading, passed 94-0

    3/7/2025House

  7. posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Friday, March 07, 2025

    3/6/2025House

  8. 2nd reading, to Rules

    3/6/2025House

  9. reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar

    3/5/2025House

  10. to Judiciary (H)

    2/28/2025House

  11. to Committee on Committees (H)

    2/13/2025House

  12. received in House

    2/13/2025House

  13. 3rd reading, passed 38-0 with Floor Amendment (1)

    2/12/2025Senate

  14. posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Wednesday, February 12, 2025

    2/11/2025Senate

  15. floor amendment (1) filed

    2/11/2025Senate

  16. 2nd reading, to Rules

    2/7/2025Senate

  17. reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar

    2/6/2025Senate

  18. to Judiciary (S)

    2/4/2025Senate

  19. to Committee on Committees (S)

    1/10/2025Senate

  20. introduced in Senate

    1/10/2025Senate

Bill Text

  • Current

    2/12/2025

    PDF

  • Introduced

    2/12/2025

    PDF

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