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The Utah House voted 60-13 Wednesday to require professional computer technicians who trip across child pornography to report it or face misdemeanor charges.
Its sponsor, Rep. Craig Hall, R-West Valley City, said it will "help with our ongoing efforts to fight the horrendous crime of manufacturing and distributing child pornography."
HB155 would not require technicians to search for child porn, Hall said, but create a duty to report when they discovered depictions of sexually explicit conduct involving minors.
The bill would provide immunity against civil lawsuits for technicians who report in good faith but make a mistake.
Hall said technicians now might be reluctant to report such discoveries out of fear of losing a client, angering employers or getting sued.
He said 12 other states have similar laws.