A bill that could impose longer prison terms for “grooming” children for sexual abuse or exploitation was tabled Tuesday but could resurface in October.

The Joint Judiciary Committee decided to reconsider the bill draft at its next meeting on Oct. 13, after committee leaders and members concluded Tuesday at their public meeting in Casper that the draft wasn’t yet fit for the committee to sponsor.

As it reads now, the draft would make it a felony to manipulate a minor into engaging in sexual conduct; coerce a minor under 16 to meet in person to engage in sexual conduct; offer sexually-explicit material to minors or exploit a position of authority to develop “an intimate or secretive relationship” with a minor.

If the minor is under 12 and the perpetrator is an adult, the penalty fo

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