HB 3189 would repeal and replace several Missouri statutes to create or revise multiple sexual-offense-related crimes and penalties. The bill establishes a new offense of “grooming of a minor” (cited as “Evie and Sophie’s Law”), defines the conduct that can prove grooming, sets felony penalties, requires restitution, and directs a statewide council committee to issue public and professional guidance on recognizing and responding to grooming. It also revises the offense of patronizing prostitution, increasing penalties when the person patronized is a minor and preserving prosecution for related rape and sodomy offenses.
The bill also updates Missouri’s nonconsensual intimate-image laws, cited as the “Evan’s Voice Act,” by defining and criminalizing nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images and threats to do so, setting felony levels, creating exemptions for lawful reporting and investigations, and expressly limiting liability for internet, telecommunications, and broadband providers based solely on third-party content. It adds restitution requirements for victims, including costs tied to image removal and rehabilitation, and creates a private right of action with minimum damages and attorney’s fees. HB 3189 further amends sex-offender registration laws to add the new offenses to registration tiers, expand reporting obligations, and adjust registration periods, exemptions, and update requirements for addresses, employment, online identifiers, and temporary residences.
In addition to the criminal-law changes, the bill amends the Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund provisions by preserving and redirecting court surcharges and judgments into victim-compensation accounts, including specific assessments for felony and misdemeanor convictions and larger judgments for the image-based offenses created by the bill. It also maintains audit and reporting requirements and allows funds to support crime-lab and victim-services operations. Overall, the bill would significantly broaden Missouri’s sexual-offense code, victim restitution framework, and sex-offender registry coverage.
The general sentiment reflected by the bill text and available context appears to be strongly protective of minors and victims of sexual exploitation, grooming, and image-based abuse. The measure is framed as a victim-centered package, with named laws, enhanced penalties, mandatory restitution, and expanded registration requirements suggesting a punitive and preventive approach. However, the bill was ultimately withdrawn in the House, and there is no recorded committee debate or vote history in the provided materials, so there is no direct evidence of floor or committee support/opposition in the record supplied.
The main points of contention likely would have centered on the breadth of the new grooming offense, the scope of the image-dissemination provisions, and the expanded sex-offender registration consequences. Potential concerns include how intent is inferred, whether the definitions are broad enough to capture legitimate conduct, the impact on internet and communications platforms, and the addition of new offenses to registration tiers. The bill also distinguishes between adult and minor victims and creates exemptions for parents, guardians, family members, and lawful reporting, which suggests an effort to narrow overreach while still leaving room for debate over enforcement and due-process standards.
HB 3189 would substantially amend Missouri’s criminal code and sex-offender registration statutes by repealing and reenacting provisions in chapters governing prostitution, sexual exploitation, image-based sexual abuse, and registration. It would create a new misdemeanor/felony structure for grooming of a minor, revise patronizing prostitution penalties, expand nonconsensual sexual image offenses and related restitution, and add these offenses to the sex-offender registry tiers and reporting obligations. It would also modify the Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund and related court surcharges and judgments to support victim compensation and services, with additional financial consequences for convictions under the new image-based offenses.
The bill’s overall tone is strongly pro-victim and anti-exploitation, with a clear emphasis on protecting minors, punishing sexual predation, and providing restitution and support services. The naming of the provisions and the inclusion of enhanced penalties, mandatory restitution, and registry consequences indicate a generally supportive policy posture toward tougher enforcement. Because the bill was withdrawn and no committee transcript or vote record is provided, there is no documented formal legislative sentiment beyond the bill’s protective framing.
Likely areas of contention include the new grooming offense’s reliance on patterns of conduct and inferred intent, which could raise concerns about vagueness or overbreadth; the expanded nonconsensual image laws, which may prompt questions about free speech, platform liability, and proof standards; and the expansion of sex-offender registration to additional offenses, which can be controversial due to long-term collateral consequences. Stakeholders most likely to object would include civil-liberties advocates, technology/platform interests, and defense-oriented critics, while supporters would likely be victim advocates, child-protection groups, and prosecutors seeking stronger tools against sexual exploitation.