The legislature’s judiciary committee passed a bill that would lessen the penalty for sexting between two consenting minors Monday, but it chose not to act on several other high-profile bills.
Monday’s committee agenda listed over 75 bills, but lawmakers only voted on about half of them. Among the bills that were not addressed are the following:
– A bill that would make it illegal for registered sex offenders to live within 2,000 feet of a public or private school or day care facility, House Bill No. 5486.
– A bill that would have shortened the post-conviction process in death penalty cases, House Bill No. 5445.
– A bill that would have increased the fines for those who violated school bus regulations.
In addition to the sexting bill, the committee did pass a bill that would change the statute of limitations for civil lawsuits in child sexual abuse cases.
Rep. Michael Lawlor, D-East Haven, co-chairman of the committee, said that the committee had a limited time to act on any bills and, as a result, it had to make choices. Committee members were polled and the bills were brought forward for debate if there was enough interest, he added.
The bills that were not voted on died in committee, but some could appear as amendments to bills that made the cut, Lawlor said.