Bill > A2738

Introduced Session

This bill provides that a person may be guilty of child endangerment through the use of social media. Under the bill, a person is guilty of child endangerment if via electronic communication that person knowingly acts in a manner likely to be injurious to the physical, mental, or moral welfare of a child less than 18 years of age or directs or authorizes a child to engage in an occupation involving a substantial risk of danger to the child's life or health. The bill provides that violators would be subject to current child endangerment penalties, making this offense a second degree crime if the actor has a legal duty for the care to the child or has assumed responsibility for the care of the child. For all other persons, it is a crime of the third degree. The penalty for a second degree crime is a term of five to 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $150,000, or both. The penalty for a third degree crime is a term of three to five years imprisonment, a fine of up to $15,000, or both. As recently reported in the New York Times, convicted sex offenders and pedophilic predators are consuming prurient content posted to social media sites by parents seeking materialistic gain through the receipt of cash payments, products, and endorsements. The subjects of these posts are children, the majority of whom are too young to have a social media account. With this bill, it is the sponsor's intent to provide law enforcement another tool to hold accountable opportunists responsible for exploiting children and exposing them to harm.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Andrea Katz (D)*,  Ellen Park (D)*,  Chris Tully (D)*,  Carmen Morales (D), 

Reported and Referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee (on 02/19/2026)

Official Document