Mass. Senate may finally take action on 'revenge porn' bill

The Senate plans to take up legislation next week criminalizing the distribution of sexually explicit pictures and video without the subject's permission, often referred to as "revenge porn."

The Senate Ways and Means Committee on Thursday advanced its version of a House-approved bill aiming to close a legal loophole that makes Massachusetts one of the only states in the nation without a clear ban on revenge porn.

House and Senate Democrats failed to achieve consensus in 2022 on how to crack down on revenge porn, an issue that former Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito made a top priority with the support of survivors and advocates.

The Senate bill also seeks to crack down on "coercive control" against abuse victims and creates new training and diversion programs related to teen sexting, according to a committee summary of the bill.

Senate Democrats plan to bring the bill to the floor for a vote next week, according to an official.

The House first approved a bill in May 2022, but the Senate did not take action until less than a week before formal sessions ended for the 2021-2022 term, and Democrats could not strike a cross-branch compromise.

This time around, it appears there will be more time to negotiate. The House advanced its proposal in January and the Senate will bring its bill to the floor with more than four months left for formal business.