Last updated April 12, 2019
A new bill to straighten out dangerously absurd laws relating to teen “sexting” has been approved by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee and will now go on to the full Senate in order to gain final legislative approval. The bill is designed to prevent teenagers indulging in the practice known as “sexting” – sending naked or otherwise inappropriate photographs of themselves to their friends via their used cell phones – from being caught up in child pornography laws. Some prosecutors who apparently have little to no common sense at all have actually charged teenagers with criminal offenses, including the distribution of child pornography for sending images of themselves, a situation so clearly idiotic that the Senate apparently felt the need to step in to prevent other such examples of bureaucratic lunacy. Those caught in the practice of “sexting” will now face education on the dangers of “sexting”, rather than criminal prosecution, providing the bill meets with full Senate approval.
“Teens need to understand the ramifications of their actions, but they shouldn’t necessarily be treated as criminals,” says a co-sponsor of the bill, Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt (D-Camden). “We need to create a path that places education and forgiveness before arrest and prosecution. Young people – especially teen girls –need to understand that sending inappropriate pictures is not only potentially illegal, but can leave an indelible mark on them socially and educationally.”