2013 Indiana Senate Bill 347 being heard today - Legislation Part 11

Senator Randy Head has introduced a bill to increase the penalty for Child Solicitation when committed using a computer network. Child Solicitation is what that show Dateline NBC was about. It is someone at least age 18 asking a child age 14-16 years or someone at least 18 years of age asking a child age 14 years or less to engage in a sexual activity.

Senate Bill 0347 affects the following citations: IC 35-42-4-6. The synopsis is as follows:
Child solicitation. Increases the penalty for child solicitation to a Class B felony if a person commits the offense by using a computer network and travels to meet the child. Increases the penalty for child solicitation to a Class B felony if the person committing the crime has a previous unrelated conviction for child solicitation.

While I understand Senator Head's intent there is one huge problem that I have with the Child Solicitation statute that I have wanted changed for years but I have been concentrating my efforts in the custody area. What I would like to see done is an exemption added for parents, spiritual advisors, or persons acting as part of a sexual education or abstinence program or for others not making the request as a means of satisfying their own sexual desires. Current law provides that it is the crime of Child Solicitation to “urge” or “command” your child, age 16 years or less, to wait until marriage, after completing college or some other future adulthood time to start creating his or her own children through the natural method – sexual intercourse.

In addition to being unable to support this legislation for that reason I also don't want to elevate this offense to being the equivalent or greater than killing a child through negligence or neglect, or getting drunk and plowing through a bus stop filled with children and killing them.

To read more about how you may unknowingly be a sex offender click HERE.

if you need assistance in a child custody proceeding or life improvement then please visit my website and contact my scheduler to make an appointment to meet with me.

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More information about child custody rights and procedures may be found on the Indiana Custodial Rights Advocates website.

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