Gingrich Supports Teen Sexting Bill
Legislation would establish appropriate penalties for juvenile offenders
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Rep. Gingrich, who co-sponsored legislation to make sexting by teenagers a 2nd degree misdemeanor, said state laws have not kept up with technology. She said the bill would prevent teens age 13 to 17 from being charged with felony sex crimes.
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An increasing number of teens under the age of 17 are finding themselves caught in the sexting web. Sexting is the practice of sending nude or lewd photos via cell phone.
Unfortunately, state law has not kept pace with this technology and the justice system has no clear guidelines for dealing with it, said Rep. Mauree Gingrich (R-Lebanon).
The state’s district attorneys recognize sexting as a crime, but the only statute that presently covers it pertains to sexual abuse of children – a felony. Many district attorneys are reluctant to charge teens age 13-17 under the felony statute, which carries severe penalties that remain on their record for life. Instead, they want a new law in which the punishment fits the crime.
Gingrich is co-sponsoring House Bill 2189, which would make sexting by teens a second-degree misdemeanor. She said sexting is potentially devastating to teenagers who take nude photos of themselves and fail to consider their inability to control those images once they hit “send.” Likewise, they fail to anticipate the devastating consequences that can follow when those who receive the images share them.
Gingrich and Lebanon County District Attorney Dave Arnold participated in a Capitol news conference today to announce the legislation.
“What we’re trying to do is determine whether what we’re seeing here in behavior under 17 is a crime or a prank,” said Gingrich. “Right now it is somewhere in between. Under law, it’s a crime. So our D.A.’s were here today as we talked about this bill, explaining to all of us that if, in fact, it is brought to their attention and it needs a reaction from the law, they fall into a category of felony.”
Gingrich and Arnold are all too familiar with sexting cases in Lebanon County. She said HB 2189 would provide law enforcement with the tools necessary to punish and deter sexting while affording teens between the ages of 13 and 17 the opportunity to have their criminal record expunged. She said the law would punish teens for wrongdoing, but not scar them for life.
Gingrich’s full remarks may be viewed here
Rep. Mauree Gingrich
101st District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
(717) 270-1905
(717) 783-1815
www.RepGingrich.com
Contact: Donna M. Pinkham
(717) 260-6452
www.pahousegop.com