A bill aimed at punishing adults who entice minors through text messaging gained unanimous approval from the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Standing Committee on Monday.

HB327, sponsored by Rep. Kerry Gibson, R-Ogden, allows for an offender who uses text messaging to lure a child for sexual purposes to be prosecuted under state law that prohibits enticing minors by electronic means. Previously, the law focused only on those who used the Internet.

As children communicate with text messaging more often, it's necessary to broaden the law's definition of "electronic means," Gibson said Monday.

"It's become more of a problem as text messaging becomes the way our young people communicate nowadays," he said.

The bill received support of the Utah Statewide Association of Prosecutors, one group that raised the issue of the increase in text messaging cases involving minors.

HB327 What's next

Next step: The bill will head to the House floor later this week.