Sexting, sending nude or inappropriate pictures via cell phone or e-mail, would be a misdemeanor for teenagers under a plan approved by the state House today. The House voted to sign off on the plan by state Rep. Seth Grove, R-York, 163-36. The bill now heads to the state Senate.

Grove said his proposal allows district attorneys to charge teens ages 13 to 17 who "sext" with a summary offense or second-degree misdemeanor rather than charge the teen with a felony under child pornography laws. He also said the bill aims to keep inappropriate images out of the hands of child predators. "We cannot assume that sexting is normal expression of adolescent sexuality," Grove said.

Opponents of the measure said even a misdemeanor was too serious an offense for a teen who uses poor judgment or sends an image to a boyfriend or girlfriend in confidence. "This is a parental problem ... This is a family problem. This is a moral problem," said state Rep. Kathy Manderino, D-Philadelphia. "This should not be made a criminal problem.

"This all starts with a consensual activity that gets out of control. I'm sorry if it gets out of control, but there are other sexual acts that children get involved with that get out of control that are not a crime," Manderino said.