AUGUSTA - No opposition to a bill aimed at closing what prosecutors call a loophole in Maine law protecting children from being solicited to engage in a sexual act.

Current law is clear, solicit a child to engage in a sexual act and you have committed a crime. But no such measure exists if the solicitation is done verbally.

The new measure proposal drew the support of the Department of Public Safety and the Maine State Police. If the child is less than 14 years of age, it would be a Class D crime with up to a year in jail under the proposal and if the child is less than 12 years of age, it's a Class C crime with up to five years in prison.