One day after the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled that it was not illegal to secretly photograph beneath someone's clothing, the state legislature passed a bill that would ban "upskirting" in public places.
"The House took action today to bring Massachusetts laws up-to-date with technology and the predatory practice of 'upskirting,'" House Speaker Robert DeLeo (D) said in a statement. "We must make sure that the law protects women from these kind of frightening and degrading acts."
On Wednesday, Massachusetts' highest court ruled that a man, Michael Robertson, did not violate the state's "Peeping Tom" law when he snapped upskirt photos of women on Boston subways because the women were clothed and in public. But the court issued a narrow ruling, saying only that Robertson had not violated the law as written, prompting lawmakers to swiftly draft new legislation.
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The bill goes on to Gov. Deval Patrick (D) for his signature.
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