Ban on child sex dolls clears Senate, goes to governor

Republished from Kentucky Lantern

FRANKFORT — A bill felonzing the intentional ownership of a child sex doll has now passed both the Kentucky House and Senate and is on its way to Gov. Andy Beshear’s desk. 

Sen. Chris McDaniel presented the bill, sponsored in the House by Edgewood Republican Rep. Stephanie Dietz, on the Senate floor. It passed unanimously 38-0 after 10 minutes of supportive discussion. 

Before discussing the bill, McDaniel gave parents and guardians a few moments of silence to take children out of the floor and balconies. 

House Bill 207 would make it a Class D felony to knowingly own or sell a child sex doll — defined as a doll, mannequin or robot that is intended for sexual stimulation or gratification and that has the features of, or has features that resemble those of, a minor.

Attorney General Russell Coleman and others in law enforcement testified previously that people who use these dolls often escalate to harming children in real life. 

The bill also criminalizes the use of artificial intelligence to create child pornography or to create fake images that use real children as the source. 

“This piece of legislation will give our law enforcement the tools that they need to protect our children from predators and exploitation,” McDaniel said. “There’s a lot of pedophiles who practice victimization of children. This bill will save countless children rape, sexual abuse and trafficking.”

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