The Senate Judiciary Committee moved along Senate Bill 128 which would make cyberbullying of minors illegal.
The bill would criminalize insulting, taunting, or intimidating a person under 18 years of age via and electronic communication such as texts or social media.
Senator Kevin Meyers said his reason for introducing this legislation was the sad situation of suicides related to bullying that has been seen in the Lower 48.
A study from 2007 by the Cyberbullying Research Center found that of 2,000 middle school students asked, 17.3% said they have been cyberbullied and another 17.6% admitted to have participated in cyberbullying. There was also 12% that reported being both a victim and a bully.
Through SB128, people convicted of cyberbullying could spend up to 90 days in jail.
The Senate Rules Committee will now further consider SB128.
