Legislator to push bill raising age of consent to 18

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - An Indiana legislator says she plans to introduce a bill that would raise the age of consent to 18 from 16 years old.

Indianapolis Democratic Rep. Karlee Macer says her bill would create a criminal offense called "indiscretion." That charge could be filed against someone at least 23 years old who engages in sexual conduct, fondling or touching with someone who is at least 16 years old, but younger than 18.

An effort several years ago by Indiana legislators to raise the age of consent several years ago, but it stalled amid concerns about how the law would affect sexual relationships between younger individuals. Under current Indiana law, teenagers in ongoing relationships can have consensual sex if they are under 21 and within four years of age difference.