Md. lawmakers vote for tougher child pornography penalties ANNAPOLIS, MD. (AP) (wesm) - Maryland lawmakers have voted to make possession of child pornography a felony, even as one of their former colleagues is under investigation for having such images on his computer.

The House of Delegates voted unanimously Thursday to make possession of child pornography a felony. Now it's a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $2,500 and two years in jail. Subsequent convictions already are felonies.

The vote comes less than two weeks after a House member resigned as federal investigators searched his home computer. The former lawmaker, Delegate Robert McKee, has not been charged with a crime.

House members had the child pornography bill under consideration before McKee's resignation. House members also voted Thursday to require sex offenders to have pictures taken more regularly and to require sex offenders to register their online screen names with state authorities.

All three bills now head to Senate.
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