Ryan Nicol
A bill to ban the sale and possession of “obscene” child-like sex dolls is headed to the House floor after emerging from its final committee Tuesday afternoon.
The legislation (HB 1107), filed by Rep. Michael Gottlieb, was approved by the Judiciary Committee.
A companion measure (SB 160) sponsored by Sen. Lauren Book has already been unanimously approved by the full Senate.
The measures are attempting to target pedophiles, who reportedly use the sex dolls to curb their urges. The sponsors point to research that shows the dolls actually don’t accomplish that goal and can even amplify those urges.
“That is not a cure for anything,” Book argued when she introduced the bill back in December. “The doll just isn’t enough, and then they act out again sexually on children.”
Still, other experts have disagreed with that assessment, arguing against making the dolls illegal.
The House version that advanced Tuesday contains stiffer penalties than its Senate counterpart. While the Senate version considers the sale of these dolls a first-degree misdemeanor, the House bill classifies the sale as a third-degree felony.
Possession of the dolls is also punishable under the bill as a second-degree misdemeanor.
