General Discussion

This year, at least three states — Vermont, Texas, and Utah— are reportedly considering passing anti-stealthing legislation inspired by the California law, though none have made it to its respective governor's desk. Several more states have considered versions of the issue since 2017, though those previous bills have so far failed to gain the traction necessary to push through legislatures in Wisconsin, New York, New Jersey and Idaho, in part because there has been disagreement over whether "stealthing" rises to the level of rape and whether it's a civil or criminal offense. (It should be noted that the bill only passed in California after Garcia re-introduced it as a civil — not criminal — offense.)