Starting Sep. 1st, electronic transmission of sexually explicit material will be illegal

TEXAS (KLTV) - Indecent exposure has been a crime in person, but not online; until a week from today when a bill, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed in May, goes into effect.

“Many people, especially women, get unwanted sexually explicit pictures, either by text or social media, it’s disgusting,” Gov. Abbott says.

Disgust seems to be what fueled the governor to sign House Bill 2789.

It’s a bill that makes the electronic transmission of sexually explicit material a class C misdemeanor, with a maximum fine of $500, when the recipient hasn't provided consent.

“It goes into effect September 1st,” Gov. Abbott says.

The law won’t apply just to texts, but also to explicit content sent to email, dating apps, and social media.

“If indecent exposure is a crime on the streets then why is it not on your phone or your computer?,” Bumble founder Whitney Herd says.

Bumble is a popular dating site where only female users can make the first contact with matched male users. It’s founder, Whitney Herd began lobbying House Bill 2789 in 2018.

“But this is not a laughing matter, this is serious, and it is harassment plain and simple,” Herd says.

The illegal explicit content the bill refers to would depict a person engaging in sexual conduct or with the persons’ intimate parts exposed.

The offender could face a fine equivalent to a traffic violation.

House Bill 2789 will go into effect on September 1st.

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