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Posted: 5:36 a.m. Friday, Feb. 15, 2013

Teen sexting would be misdemeanor under bill

By Sandra Parrish

Atlanta —

Sexting among teens could be reduced to a misdemeanor under a bill being considered by a House subcommittee.

Right now teens that send or receive explicit pictures via cell phones face felony child pornography charges and must register as a sex offender.

Rep. Jay Neal (R-LaFayette) says his bill would reduce that to a misdemeanor if the teens involved are within four years apart.

“What I don’t want us to do is make youthful stupidity a felony that will create a life-long barrier for these teenagers,” he told a group of members from the Judiciary Non-Civil Committee.

Neal tells WSB’s Sandra Parrish that details are still being worked out over pictures that are maliciously sent.