Senator Kristin Corrado’s legislation requiring middle school students to be taught the legal, social, and emotional consequences of “sexting” passed the New Jersey Senate.

“The repercussions of texting sexually explicit images for teenagers can be far-reaching,” Corrado (R-40) said. “Many don’t think about the social trauma, bullying, and heartbreak they could experience if a picture or video falls into the wrong hands, and they often don’t realize they might be creating, possessing, or distributing child pornography with extremely serious legal repercussions. It’s imperative that we teach our kids that ‘sexting’ can ruin their reputations and impact their future.”

Corrado’s bipartisan legislation, S-2092, requires school districts to educate middle school students on the societal and legal ramifications of sexting. “Sexting” is defined as posting or sending a sexually explicit image.

The amended bill ensures teenagers will be educated on the criminal ramifications of soliciting explicit images.

“Sexting” is a nationwide problem that has perplexed parents, school administrators, and law enforcement officials. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy reported that 19 percent of teens had sent a sexually-suggestive picture or video of themselves to someone, while 31 percent had received a nude or semi-nude picture from someone else.

“Legal ramifications aside, ‘sexting’ has the potential to lead to long-term and unforeseen consequences,” Corrado added. “It can lead to the loss of scholastic and job opportunities. Students can be removed or banned from school programs or extracurricular activities. I encourage all students to think before you act – this isn’t worth it.”