Missouri lawmakers advance bills to protect children from online extortion
Updated: Jul 25
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KY3) - Missouri lawmakers held a key hearing today on two bills designed to protect children from extortion and sexual exploitation.
The Evan’s Voice Act and Evie and Sophie’s Law replace the term “child pornography” with “child sexual abuse material” and broaden its definition. The legislation mandates new sex and human trafficking training for first responders, social workers, and law enforcement.
The bills also establish a new statewide council and fund to combat trafficking.
Evan’s Voice Act provisions
The Evan’s Voice Act honors Aurora teen Evan Boettler, who died by suicide after being extorted online. The bill creates the offense of “grooming a minor,” stating that intent can be inferred from a suspect’s actions.
The legislation makes grooming a Class B felony, becoming Class A with sexual contact, and requires a minimum five-year sentence.
Evie and Sophie’s Law details
Evie and Sophie’s Law is named after two Bolivar teens who were victims of sexual grooming by their taekwondo teacher. Similar to the Evan’s Voice Act, it targets the grooming of a minor, making it a serious felony
“I think it’s important for us to recognize that in any profession, we give a lot of trust to a lot of different individuals,” said State Rep. Christopher Warwick of Polk County. “We need to be able to trust and maintain that they have the best interest of our kids at hand.”
If sexual conduct is involved, the penalty increases to a Class A felony. The bill also addresses the non-consensual sharing of private sexual images, ensures victims receive restitution, and calls for public guidance on recognizing grooming.
“It’s not just Evan’s story,” said State Rep. Burt Whaley of Stone County. “There are many kids across this state, and I believe across this nation. Anti-trafficking is multifaceted, and we must, we must stop this. And we do that through our pen. We do that through our law enforcement. We do that by holding these perpetrators accountable.
Next steps
Bill co-sponsors spoke today about the importance of the legislation. The bill is set to be amended before a final vote. The next hearing has not yet been scheduled.
The measures represent Missouri’s effort to strengthen laws protecting minors from online predators and sexual exploitation.
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