Iowa lawmakers discuss bill on child kidnapping penalties

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Some Iowa lawmakers say they need more time to consider a bill that would impose tougher penalties on people who kidnap a minor.

A three-person Senate judiciary committee discussed legislation Thursday that would make it a second-degree offense to kidnap a person under the age of 18. They made no decision on the bill.

It is currently a third-degree offense to kidnap a person of any age in the state. The bill is in response to the 2013 abduction and killing of 15-year-old Kathlynn Shepard. Authorities say Michael Klunder abducted Kathlynn and another girl after he was released early from prison.

Klunder later killed himself.

There was bipartisan support for a similar bill last session, but lawmakers couldn't agree on whether to remove an offender's earned-time credit for good behavior.