The Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee heard SB 396 on child exploitation. Author Sen. Houchin stated that the decreases in the penalty provisions for child exploitation as a result of the criminal code revision were an oversight. An amendment was adopted removing the second level penalty increases in the bill. The amended bill raises the penalty for possession of child pornography from a level 6 felony to a level 5 felony, and the penalty for dissemination child pornography from a level 5 felony to a level 4 felony. The Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council testified in support of the bill, stating that the criminal code revisions in effect lowered the penalty for possession of child pornography. The Indiana Public Defenders Council testified in opposition to the bill and encouraged the Committee to allow the current law time to work. The bill was held.
Read the bill at https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2015/bills/senate/396.