"Sexting" -- texting sexually explicit pictures of minors is a crime on the rise.
How that crime is punished for those under 18 is up for debate.
House Bill 143 would allow judges to fine minors $100 and order community service.
"If you go soft on your young society early in life, what are they going to be doing by the time they turn 18?" asked Keith Herron.
Keith Herron, President of a child advocacy group called "The Child Connection," says sexting should be a felony for distributing child pornography. He calls House Bill 143 "weak" and "diluted."
"I feel like the bill is a slap on the wrist. I do understand where you're trying to give notification, but I can tell you these kids have already gotten it," says Herron.
He says in some cases, kids have made a business out of selling photos, making $8,000 to $10,000. So $100 fine is a drop in the hat.
"What is the responsibility to not only their friends, person took the photo of, recourse, lawsuit to follow."
But representative Martha King told the House Committee young people "don't always know what they're doing." She said, "the intent of this bill is to give a slap on the wrist and not just put a first-time offender in jail or on a sex offender list."
Herron says in a time when pictures last forever in cyberspace and can come back to haunt you, the consequences of a persons actions should be swift and strong.
King says that should be the case, the second time around.
To give you an idea of the problem, Herron says he'd guess that out of 200 teenagers, 25 - 50 have sent, received or shared a "sext." He says this bill would only tie up courts and wouldn't send a tough message.
Right now in KY, juvenile judges handle sexting cases and can choose between both misdemeanor and felony charges.
