Georgia lawmakers work to make ‘upskirting’ illegal

ATLANTA – A bill making it illegal to film or take photos under a person’s clothes has cleared a hurdle in the Georgia Senate.

The House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee approved the measure Monday. The Senate is considering a similar bill.

Lawmakers decided to take action last summer after a divided Court of Appeals found that a man didn’t break any laws when he filmed up a woman’s skirt while she shopped at a grocery store.

Security footage showed Brandon Lee Gary aiming his phone under the woman’s skirt at least four times as she shopped. The court’s majority opinion described Gary’s actions as “reprehensible” but found he didn’t explicitly violate the state’s invasion-of-privacy law.

The woman whom Gary videotaped attended the hearing.