BOISE, ID – A bill introduced Tuesday in the Idaho Legislature would extend the criminal penalties for online sexual enticement of a child to apply when the victim is under the age of 18. The law currently only applies if the victim is under the age of 16.

Rep. Steve Tanner, R-Nampa, introduced the draft bill in the House Judiciary and Rules Committee. He said it was created after a discussion with a member of Idaho Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children team, called ICAC.

Under current Idaho law, it is a felony for an adult, age 18 or older, to use the internet or a communication device to solicit, seduce, lure, persuade or entice a person under age 16 to engage in sexual acts. The crime is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

The proposed bill would add the felony penalty if the victim was 16 or 17 years old and the perpetrator was at least five years older.

“That avoids what we call Romeo and Juliet sort of scenarios,” Tanner said.

He said it was consistent with other laws, such as those for statutory rape, where it is only applicable based on age if the victim is 16 or 17 and the other person is three or more years older.

When the victim is younger than 16, the penalty applies regardless of the age of the perpetrator.

The committee members unanimously introduced the legislation without discussion. The bill will be eligible to return to the committee for a full public hearing at a later date.

This story first appeared on Idaho Capital Sun.