Colorado lawmakers reconsider teen sexting punishment — again

DENVER (AP) — Frequent teen sexting has given Colorado a dilemma when it comes to criminal charges. When is a naughty photo between teens a modern form of flirting? And when is it child pornography?

State lawmakers are going to debate the topic Tuesday when a House committee takes up two sexting measures.

The first bill creates a new crime of posting private images by a juvenile. That’s when a youth shares nude photos without the depicted youth’s consent.

The second bill makes it a crime for a youth to have a sexually explicit image of himself or herself or of another juvenile.

The proposed new crimes would not be considered sexual exploitation of a child, the current charge. Lawmakers debated teen sexting last year but were unable to settle on a solution.