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"Revenge Porn" Bill in Maryland General Assembly

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ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Legislators are comparing two bills that would make it a crime to take revenge on an ex-lover by posting their nude photos on the Internet - a practice known as "revenge porn."

For now, victims have no legal recourse, unless they find a way to sue for something like invasion of privacy, Del. Luiz Simmons told a House committee Tuesday. And without money to pay up front, it can be hard getting an attorney to take such a case.

Simmons' bill makes revenge porn a misdemeanor with a one-year jail term and a $500 fine. Del. Jon Cardin's similar bill makes it a felony with a five-year maximum and a $25,000 fine.

New Jersey criminalized the practice in 2004; California did so in October. Other states are considering similar bills.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.