SEN. ADAMS HONORED AT STATEWIDE EVENT FOR LANDMARK SEXTORTION LAW
FRANKFORT, Ky. (June 27, 2025) — Sen. Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville, was honored today by the Kentucky Statewide Human Trafficking Task Force during a special event recognizing the enactment of Senate Bill (SB) 73, Kentucky’s newly passed sextortion legislation.
Held at the Paul Sawyier Public Library in Frankfort, the gathering brought together law enforcement, survivor advocates, and anti-trafficking leaders to celebrate the passage of the law and raise awareness about the rise of sexual extortion as a tool of exploitation, especially among children and teens.
“Sextortion is a modern gateway to trafficking and abuse, and this law sends a clear message that Kentucky will not tolerate it,” said Adams. “I’m honored to stand with the advocates, survivors, and law enforcement leaders who made this victory possible.”
SB 73 criminalizes sexual extortion, including threats to share explicit images or coercion into producing additional content. The legislation also accounts for emerging concerns like AI-generated imagery and digital impersonation and strengthens Kentucky’s ability to pursue justice for victims.
The program featured remarks from Task Force Chair Ricky Lynn and a series of presentations from members of the Kentucky Sextortion Coalition, who work across law enforcement, youth advocacy, prevention education, and survivor support. Attendees heard firsthand from a parent whose child was victimized by online sextortion which brought emotional weight to the urgency of the issue.
Presenters included
· Detective Ricky Lynn, Kentucky Statewide Human Trafficking Task Force chair,
· Cortney Downs, Kentucky Youth Advocates, focused on digital safety and policy reform
· Jamie Thompson, People Against Trafficking Humans (PATH) Coalition of KY, providing support to survivors and families
· Teena Halbig, educator and longtime advocate raising awareness of sextortion threats, and
· Jennifer, a parent and advocate, spoke about her experience to raise awareness and support prevention efforts.
Halbig stated, “This law is a game-changer for Kentucky. For years, we’ve worked to shine a light on the dangers of sextortion, and now, thanks to SB 73, we finally have the tools to fight it head-on and protect our kids.”
Implementation of SB 73 is now underway and represents a major step in Kentucky’s continued efforts to combat human trafficking and exploitation.
To learn more about the Kentucky Sextortion Coalition and ongoing prevention efforts, visit kyhumantraffickingtaskforce.com or connect with Kentucky Youth Advocates at kyyouth.org.
If you or someone you know is a victim of sextortion or human trafficking, confidential help is available. Call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, text “BeFree” to 233733, or visit humantraffickinghotline.org.
For more information on SB 73 and other bills passed during the 2025 Regular Session and to learn more about the Kentucky General Assembly, visit www.legislature.ky.gov.
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Sen. Julie Raque Adams represents the 36th Senate District, which includes a portion of Jefferson County. She is co-chair of the Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Committee. She also co-chairs the Interim Joint Committee (IJC) on Licensing, Occupations, and Administrative Regulations. Additionally, Adams is a member of the IJCs on Banking and Insurance; Health Services; Local Government; and State Government. She serves on the Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee, a statutory oversight body. In 2024, she served on the Kentucky Housing Task Force, which was established to study barriers to housing development and recommend solutions to support affordability and access across the commonwealth.
For a high-resolution .jpeg of Raque Adams, please visit: https://legislature.ky.gov/Legislators Full Res Images/senate136.jpg