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New Sexting Law Praised

A bill that creates a misdemeanor charge of "sexting" for teens wins praise from the Texas attorney general.
Photo by Daniel Reese for KUT News
A bill that creates a misdemeanor charge of "sexting" for teens wins praise from the Texas attorney general.

A bill to hold teenage minors accountable for sending sexually explicit images of them or other minors without subjecting them to felony child pornography or trafficking charges now has Governor Rick Perry's signature.

Senate Bill 407, the so-called "Sexting Bill," was sponsored by State Senator Kirk Watson, D-Austin.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said he praised the "common-sense law that holds wrongdoers accountable – but does not impose life-altering consequences."

Effective Sept. 1, prosecutors can charge teenagers who engage in sexting with a misdemeanor and can sentence minors to participate in an education program about sexting's long-term consequences.

Daniel Reese is a photography intern at KUT News. He is a student at Ohio University.
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