The 2026 Sexual Offences Legislation (Amendment) Bill is due to be gazetted on 13 November and submitted to the Legislative Council on 25 November for first and second readings, the government said. The proposed changes have not yet become law.
The government said it had adopted some views received during public consultation, including a new offence to address persistent and repeated sexual abuse of children, and changes to criminalise online indecent exposure. The proposals also cover sexual offences committed without consent, offences involving children and people with mental impairment, other sexual offences, and measures intended to strengthen protection for victims. The Security Bureau said the package draws on a review and recommendations by the Law Reform Commission of Hong Kong, as well as legal developments in other major common-law jurisdictions.
The Security Bureau says many current sexual-offence provisions are based on similar provisions in English legislation enacted in 1956. Some apply only to a specified sex, some distinguish on the basis of sexual orientation, and some offences treat the sexes inconsistently. Penalties for some conduct do not reflect its seriousness, and some wording is outdated. The government’s stated aim is to pass the bill during the current government term.