Sexting Teens Would Face Reduced Penalties Under Proposed Bill
BOSTON (CBS) -- A state legislative committee is reviewing a bill that would amend child pornography laws to make sexting between minors a misdemeanor.
Currently, teens arrested for sexting can be charged with a felony for child pornography. If convicted, they're required to register as a sex offender.
The bill filed by Franklin state Rep. Jeffrey Roy would protect minors who take part in consensual sexting.
"The tools will always be there to charge people who engage in felonious conduct," he said. "This is to address those situations where the conduct doesn't rise to this level, but we need to have something to help educate kids about the dangers of this type of behavior."
Roy says instead of a felony, 15 to 19-year-olds would have to enter a mandatory education program and pay fines or perform community service.
"It's far from a free pass for anyone, but it's a great educational tool that gives police and prosecutors something extra with which to address this situation," Roy said.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe reports: