MT HB82

Creates a new offense of "grooming of a child for a sexual offense" covering patterns of manipulative behavior aimed at children or guardians with intent to facilitate sexual abuse, with penalties up to 10 years imprisonment (or 4-100 years if victim is under 16, or mandatory 100 years with 25-year minimum if victim is 12 or younger and offender is 18+)

Expands sexual abuse of children laws to include computer-generated child pornography created using artificial intelligence or other technology that depicts minors or adults modified to appear as minors engaged in sexual conduct

Allows prosecution of multiple child-related offenses when law enforcement officers use undercover or fictitious identities posing as children, including indecent exposure to a minor, patronizing a child prostitute, sexual abuse of children, child sex trafficking, and obscenity distribution

Adds the new grooming offense to the statutory definition of "sexual offense," requiring convicted offenders to register as sex offenders

Effective date: July 1, 2025