Harrisburg, PA (WENY)-- One Pennsylvania Senator wants to see penalties for child pornography convictions enhanced and increased. Senate Bill 1075 is the first Bill newly-elected Senator Dave Arnold (R- Lebanon, York, Dauphin) is sponsoring. He’s targeting what he calls some of the worst offenders in the state.

“We have one goal and that’s just to protect our children,” Sen. Arnold says.

The Bill targets those convicted of possessing, distributing, or photographing child pornography that involves a child under the age of 6, or a pubescent child. Under the proposal, these perpetrators would receive a felony one grade higher than is currently allowed. That means a 3rd Degree felony would become a 2nd Degree felony, and a 2nd Degree felony would become a 1st Degree felony.

“We just need to make sure we’re treating these particular criminals with the degree of harshness that is required for something like this,” explains Sen. Arnold.

This would result in lengthier prison sentences. The legislation would also direct the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing to provide sentence enhancement if the images show the victim engaged in indecent contact. The Bill also directs the Commission on Sentencing to develop guidelines for sentence enhancement if the victim and offender know each other.

“It sort of varies in certain situations, but we’re really trying to bump up the penalty for all the different categories,” says Sen. Arnold.

Senator Arnold served as the District Attorney for Lebanon County for 14 years and has been involved in law enforcement for 18 years. He was sworn into office in January when he was elected to fill the term of former Senator Mike Folmer. Folmer resigned in September after being arrested on multiple charges of child pornography.

Senator Arnold says his experience in the District Attorney’s office, as well as the case with the former Senator, motivated him to address this issue. 

“I just find it incredibly disturbing the number of people that are engaged in this activity, and I think it needs to be treated with the seriousness that it has upon the children that are victimized,” says Senator Arnold.

The language of the Bill is still being finalized. It will be formally introduced in the Senate in the near future.