Rep. Jody Nelson urges parenting-plan guidance on children’s social-media images

Rep. Jody Nelson urged the Senate Children and Family Law Committee to support HB 1039, a bill that would prompt parents to address sharing their children’s images in parenting plans.

Nelson told the committee she introduced the measure after a constituent reported a dispute in which one co‑parent repeatedly violated an informal agreement about posting pictures after the couple split. "In today's world a child's digital presence is no longer a minor issue," Nelson said. "With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, images of children can be altered, misused, or redistributed indefinitely."

Why it matters: Backers say adding an explicit parenting‑plan provision would give parents a simple tool to clarify expectations about posting, privacy and online exposure, reducing recurring court filings that drain time and resources.

Supporters described the approach as nonregulatory: the bill does not ban posting or create new criminal penalties, they said, but simply encourages adults to set expectations when they craft parenting plans. Nelson told the committee the change is intended to "provide clarity, reduce conflict, and support co‑parenting by setting reasonable expectations around a child's digital footprint."

During committee questions, a member asked how the provision would apply once the child creates a social‑media account. Nelson replied that parenting plans can specify the age at which a child may hold an account and that plans can be modified later in court, if needed.

What the committee did next: The committee moved HB 1039 into executive session and then brought forward a motion to pass; members discussed that the provision would govern parental posting and not a child’s personal accounts.

Next steps: The committee placed HB 1039 on its consent calendar for further consideration.