A Look at Texas' Sexting Bill

Posted By The Law Offices of Jeffrey C. Grass || 22-Apr-2014

As the use of cellphones among teens and preteens continues to climb, parents and lawmakers alike have become increasingly concerned about a dangerous trend: sexting. Sexting involves sending or receiving any images or videos that are sexually explicit and involve a minor. All too often, teens fail to understand the personal implications and legal penalties involved with sexting—until they’re charged with a crime and must consult a criminal defense attorney. Parents of children who have been charged with a sex crime look forward to alternative options with the introduction of a new sexting bill in Texas.

Felony Offenses for Sexting

Under the current Texas law, individuals charged with sexting are automatically charged with child pornography—a serious felony that could lead to jail time and being required to register as a sex offender. The charge can apply to both the sender and the recipient. However, many criminal defense lawyers and other advocates have pointed out that the current law is too steep for teens who simply made a thoughtless mistake and didn’t intend to create child pornography.

Penalties of Sexting

Under the new proposed sexting bill, minors would face a Class C misdemeanor charge for sexting, rather than a felony charge. However, if a teen involved with the incident has prior convictions for sexting, he or she could face a Class A or B misdemeanor. Under this bill, judges could choose to sentence young offenders to educational programs, rather than jail time. Parents would join their teens in learning about the dangers of sexting during these programs. Additionally, the bill would allow teens to expunge a sexting conviction from their records, which would enable them to pursue higher education and careers without having the stigma of a sex crime on their records.

The criminal defense lawyers of the Law Offices Of Jeffrey C. Grass provide aggressive legal representation to those who have been charged with child pornography after sexting. When you partner with our law firm, you can rest assured that the full resources of our offices are behind your case. Call our law firm in Plano today at to learn about your legal rights.