sexual extortion; classification

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

HB2666: Changing the Penalty for Sexual Extortion Involving Teen Victims

This law makes sexual extortion a more serious crime if an adult offender targets a victim who is 15, 16, or 17 years old.

What This Bill Does

• Classifies sexual extortion as a class 2 felony instead of a class 3 felony when the offender is at least 18 and knows or should have known that the victim is 15 to 17.
• Requires sentences for this specific type of sexual extortion to run consecutively if other crimes are involved.
• States that convicted persons cannot get their sentence suspended, receive probation, be pardoned, or released from confinement unless specifically allowed by existing state law regarding temporary release.
• Keeps the rule that sexual extortion is a class 2 felony and punishable as a dangerous crime against children when the victim is under 15 years old.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who are at least 18 years old accused of committing sexual extortion
• Victims of sexual extortion who are between 15 and 17 years old
• Courts that must apply the new felony classification and sentencing rules

Terms To Know

Sexual Extortion

Threatening to damage property, harm a reputation, or share private photos of sexual acts or body parts to force someone into sexual contact, intercourse, or revealing their genitals, anus, or female breast.

Class 2 Felony

A serious crime category that carries heavier penalties than a class 3 felony under Arizona law.

Consecutive Sentence

A prison term that must be served after another sentence is finished, rather than at the same time.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill becomes effective on the general effective date but does not specify an exact calendar day.
• There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Official Summary Text

HB2666 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
JUDE������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ FOR
COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR
H.B. 2666

sexual extortion;
classification

Purpose

Classifies
sexual extortion
as a class 2 felony, rather than a
class 3 felony, if the offender is at least 18 years old and knows or should
have known that the victim is 15, 16 or 17 years old. Requires the sentence for

sexual extortion
in this circumstance to run consecutively to any other
sentence imposed.

Background

A person commits
sexual extortion
by knowingly communicating a
threat with the intent to coerce another person to: 1) engage in sexual contact
or sexual intercourse; 2) allows the other person's genitals, anus or female
breast to be photographed, filmed, videotaped or digitally recorded; or 3)
exhibit the other person's genitals, anus or female breast.
Communicating a
threat
is defined as threatening to: 1) damage another person's property;
2) harm another person's reputation; or 3) produce or distribute a photograph,
film, videotape or digital recording that depicts the other person engaging in
sexual contact or sexual intercourse or the exhibition of the other person's
genitals, anus or female breast.
Sexual extortion
is a class 3 felony
and is ineligible for suspension of sentence, probation, pardon or release from
confinement on any basis except as specifically authorized.
Sexual extortion

is a class 2 felony and is punishable as a dangerous crime against children if
the victim is under 15 years old (
A.R.S.
� 13-1428
).

The Director of the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and
Reentry may authorize the temporary removal of a prisoner from custody for
outlined reasons, including:

1) work release; 2) medical research; 3) compassionate leave; 4) preparatory
community reentry purposes; and 5) for disaster aid (
A.R.S.
� 31-233
).

There is no
anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.

Provisions

1.

Classifies

sexual extortion
as a class 2 felony if:

a)

the offender is at least 18 years old; and

b)

knows or should have known that the victim is 15, 16 or 17 years old.

2.

Requires
the convicted person's sentence to run consecutively to any other sentence
imposed for sexual extortion.

3.

Specifies
that the convicted person is not eligible for suspension of sentence,
probation, pardon or release from confinement on any basis, except as
specifically authorized.

4.

Becomes effective on the general effective date.

House Action

JUD���������������� 1/28/26����� DP������ 8-0-1-0

3
rd
Read��������� 2/23/26����������������� 57-0-3

Prepared by Senate Research

March 2, 2026

ZD/ci

Current Bill Text

Chapter 0061 - 572R - H Ver of HB2666

House Engrossed

sexual extortion;
classification

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

CHAPTER 61

HOUSE BILL 2666

AN
ACT

AMENDING SECTION 13-1428, ARIZONA
REVISED STATUTES; RELATING TO SEXUAL OFFENSES.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section
1.
1. Section
13-1428, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
13-1428.

Sexual extortion; classification; definition

A. A person commits sexual extortion by knowingly
communicating a threat with the intent to coerce another person to do any of
the following:

1. Engage in sexual contact or sexual intercourse.

2. Allow the other person's genitals, anus or female
breast to be photographed, filmed, videotaped or digitally recorded.

3. Exhibit the other person's genitals, anus or
female breast.

B. Sexual extortion is a class 3 felony and the
person is not eligible for suspension of sentence, probation, pardon or release
from confinement on any basis except as specifically authorized by section 31-233,
subsection A or B until the sentence imposed by the court has been served or
commuted.�
If
the person is eighteen years
of age or older, knows or should have known the victim is fifteen, sixteen or
seventeen years of age, sexual extortion is a class 2 felony, the convicted
person's sentence shall be consecutive to any other sentence imposed on the
convicted person for sexual extortion and the convicted person is not eligible
for suspension of sentence, probation, pardon or release from confinement on
any basis except as specifically authorized by section 31-233, subsection
A or B until the sentence imposed by the court has been served or commuted.�
If
the victim is under fifteen years of age, sexual extortion is a class 2 felony
and is punishable pursuant to section 13-705.

C. For the purposes of this section,
"communicating a threat" means a threat to do any of the following:

1. Damage the property of the other person.

2. Harm the reputation of the other person.

3. Produce or distribute a photograph, film,
videotape or digital recording that depicts the other person engaging in sexual
contact or sexual intercourse or the exhibition of the other person's genitals,
anus or female breast.
END_STATUTE

APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR APRIL 13, 2026.

FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE APRIL 13, 2026.