Old Dominion Senate to Review Sexting Policies

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-- Sarah Ward, Turner Ashby High School
--Zach Mills, Spotswood High School
On Thursday night, the Old Dominion Senate Courts of Justice Committee advanced a bill to amend current penalties for creating, possessing, or sharing child pornography. According to Justia.com, current repercussions for a minor involved in a sexting violation result in a Class 6 felony. The bill hopes to amend these consequences by exempting individuals from these charges if the “direct recipient of the [sexual] material is between the ages of 13 and 18 and provides consent prior to the delivery of the material.”
Originating from Turner Ashby High School, the bill, proposed by Old Dominion Senator Sadie Allen, was inspired by the enormous amount of publicity in the news and the harsh felony punishments for the teenagers found convicted. Senator Allen believes teenagers should not receive the status as a sex offender because the infamous title would carry with the person for his or her entire life. Furthermore, Senator Allen also believes heated debate will ensue, and many “people will jump on the moral issues in the debate” during the Old Dominion Senate morning session, providing participants with unforgettable, engaging experiences as Model General Assembly Senators. As a past reporter from Model General Assembly 2009, Senator Allen hopes her experience and ambition will aid the bill’s passage through both the House and Senate Committees.

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