HELENA – Attorney General Austin Knudsen and Montana Department of Justice investigators and prosecutors today testified in House Judiciary Committee in support of House Bill 82, sponsored by Representative Kathy Love, which will protect children from sexual exploitation online and hold predators accountable by strengthening Montana law.
House Bill 82 will:
“As times change and technology evolves, we must ensure our state laws keep up and that we are protecting Montana children from dangerous predators online. At the Montana Department of Justice, we identified gaps in the law that leave kids vulnerable to predators on social media, gaming platforms, and messaging apps,” Attorney General Knudsen said. “I urge the Legislature to join me in supporting House Bill 82 to close the gaps in the law and give law enforcement and prosecutors the tools they need to hold perpetrators accountable.”
“We must pass House Bill 82. With evolving technology comes new and creative ways for criminals and predators to prey on our children. Unfortunately, in the digital age, it’s hard for our laws to keep up with the new and creative ways that are used to attack, coerce, and threaten our vulnerable younger population,” Rep. Love said. “We have to adapt our laws to protect our children from today’s digital reality or we leave them vulnerable to predators who are already exploiting technological advances.”
In 2024, Congress passed the REPORT Act which set national standards for reporting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and requires tech companies report text-based enticement of a child to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). HB 82 will allow investigators and prosecutors to act on the text-based tips they are receiving from NCMEC, identify victims and get them help, and hold predators accountable.
Child sex predators are increasingly using text-based and online enticement to target and groom children. Young Montanans spend hours on electronic devices each day, giving predators unprecedented access to potential young victims. The introduction of AI content has also left children more vulnerable to online predators as sophisticated technology and tactics can significantly alter an image or voice without the victims consent or knowledge.
In 2024, the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) received 2,640 CSAM cyber tips compared to 798 in 2021 – a 230 percent increase. Nationally, NCMEC received 32.2 million CyberTipline reports in 2023, a 12 percent increase from the previous year.
The Department of Justice’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force receives cyber tips from NCMEC and is responsible for investigating and working with prosecutors to hold perpetrators who use the Internet or other technology to criminal exploit children accountable. For more information on how to stay safe online and to report child sexual exploitation visit https://dojmt.gov/dci-home/crime-information-bureau/icac/.