The West Virginia state Senate on Friday unanimously approved cyberbullying legislation that makes it a crime to use a computer to harass or intimidate anyone under the age of 18, earning support from both Democrats and Republicans who said they’ve victims themselves.
Passed by a vote of 33-0, Senate Bill 2655 amends the state’s anti-hacking law to criminalize a range of specific acts of electronic harassment targeting adolescents, including cyberstalking and encouraging others to post or disseminate private, personal or sexual information, among other conduct.
The proposal already passed the state House last month by a vote of 94-1, and the law will automatically take effect unless vetoed by Republican Gov. Jim Justice before March 19.
If enacted, the bill would make cyberbullying children a misdemeanor offense in West Virginia punishable by up to a year behind bars, a $500 fine or both.
Mr. Justice’s communications director did not immediately return an email seeking comment.
Senators on both sides of the aisle cited their own experiences with cyberbullying in discussing the bill’s passage Friday.
“I have a newfound passion for this topic, as myself and several others in this (legislative) body have been confronted by cyberbullying in the past few weeks,” said Sen. Lynn Arvon, Raleigh Republican, the Point Pleasant Register reported Friday.
“Personally I think it needs to be expanded to cover everyone, no matter your age,” said Ms. Arvon, WVVA reported. “For the past few weeks, I’ve been cyberbullied myself. People behind their computer screen will say whatever they want to ruin your name, spread lies about you.”
Specifically, Ms. Arvon said she was bullied online during the recently resolved teacher strike that shuttered West Virginia public schools last week.
“It is been said that West Virginia was an example of how to protest appropriately and peacefully. While I agree, outwardly, our state seemed to be a beacon to others. Behind our cellphones and computer screens, looked damaging, degrading and threatening behavior by adults and shook me to my core,” Ms. Arvon said, according to WV Metro News.
“If cyberbullying can affect me at age 56, in such a negative way, how much more can it affect our children and grandchildren?” Ms. Arvon added. “Our teens aren’t mature enough to handle the harassment of cyberbullying.”
All states have laws in place against harassment, but not all of them explicitly cover the cyberbullying of children.
“It’s a wonderful first step,” said state Sen. Stephen Baldwin, Greenbrier County Democrat, WVVA reported. “[C]yberbullying occurs with adults as well. It’s happened to me. It’s probably happened to you. I think we need to get serious about the way we treat each other even when there’s a screen between us.”
Upwards of 43 percent of children have admitted being bullied online, and one-in-four has been subjected to it multiple times, according to Ms. Arvon.
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