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Senate advances House Bill 72 to third reading after clarifying debate on scope and intent
Summary
The Senate advanced House Bill 72 — a rewrite of statutes addressing sexual offenses involving 14- and 15‑year‑olds — to the third‑reading calendar following sponsor explanations and floor questions about intent, scope and committee amendments; the floor announced passage to third reading.
House Bill 72, presented on Feb. 17, would revise statutory language addressing sexual offenses for 14‑ and 15‑year‑olds and add an offense for touching or indecent liberties in certain circumstances. Senator McAllister explained the bill’s structure: it preserves existing age thresholds while clarifying penalties and exemptions, and adds specific language to capture a broader set of sexual‑misconduct behaviors.
Floor questions focused on the bill’s definitions and the intent requirement. Senator Hall asked whether touching on clothing or skin would constitute…
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