Indiana Code

Ind. Code § 35-49-3-3 (2026)

Dissemination of matter or conducting performance harmful to minors

✓ current as of May 2026
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     Sec. 3. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b) and section 4 of this chapter, a person who knowingly or intentionally:

(1) disseminates matter to minors that is harmful to minors (as described in IC 35-49-2);

(2) displays matter that is harmful to minors in an area to which minors have visual, auditory, or physical access, unless each minor is accompanied by the minor's parent or guardian;

(3) sells, rents, or displays for sale or rent to any person matter that is harmful to minors within five hundred (500) feet of the nearest property line of a school or church;

(4) engages in or conducts a performance before minors that is harmful to minors;

(5) engages in or conducts a performance that is harmful to minors in an area to which minors have visual, auditory, or physical access, unless each minor is accompanied by the minor's parent or guardian;

(6) misrepresents the minor's age for the purpose of obtaining admission to an area from which minors are restricted because of the display of matter or a performance that is harmful to minors; or

(7) misrepresents that the person is a parent or guardian of a minor for the purpose of obtaining admission of the minor to an area where minors are being restricted because of display of matter or performance that is harmful to minors;

commits a Level 6 felony.

     (b) This section does not apply if a person disseminates, displays, or makes available the matter described in subsection (a) through the Internet, computer electronic transfer, or a computer network unless:

(1) the matter is obscene under IC 35-49-2-1;

(2) the matter is child sex abuse material under IC 35-42-4-4; or

(3) the person distributes the matter to a child less than eighteen (18) years of age believing or intending that the recipient is a child less than eighteen (18) years of age.

As added by P.L.311-1983, SEC.33. Amended by P.L.59-1995, SEC.4; P.L.3-2002, SEC.4; P.L.140-2006, SEC.35; P.L.158-2013, SEC.648; P.L.234-2023, SEC.5; P.L.218-2025, SEC.22.

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 49 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1986–2025 · leading case: Zitlaw v. State, 880 N.E.2d 724 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008).
Zitlaw v. State, 880 N.E.2d 724 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008). · cites it 76× “Resolution of the issues raised by Zitlaw requires interpretation of Ind.Code § 35-49-3-3. The interpretation of a statute is a question of law reserved for the courts.”
Salter v. State, 906 N.E.2d 212 (Ind. Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 52× “Code § 35-42-4-4, and five counts of dissemination of matter harmful to minors, Class D felonies, Ind.Code § 35-49-3-3. We reverse. ISSUES Salter presents several issues for our review, two of which we find to be dispositive and restate as: (1) Whether the trial court erred in…”
Thompson v. Oklahoma, 487 U.S. 815 (1988). · cites it 2× “Ind. Code § 35-49-3-3 (Supp. 1987) Iowa Iowa Code § 728.”
Windhorst v. State, 868 N.E.2d 504 (Ind. 2007). · cites it 2× “I.C. § 35-49-3-3. 3 . Even in McMahon the court held that under the amended statutory regime a sentencing statement was necessary "anytime the trial court imposes a sentence other than the advisory sentence.”
Phelps v. State, 914 N.E.2d 283 (Ind. Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 3× “§ 35-42-4-5(a); dissemination of matter harmful to a minor, a Class D felony, I.C. § 35-49-3-3; and the trial court's determination that he is violent sexual predator.”
Reno v. Am. Civil Liberties Union, 521 U.S. 844 (1997). “720, § 5/11-21 (1993); Ind. Code § 35-49-3-3 (1) (Supp. 1996); Iowa Code § 728.”
Scuro v. State, 849 N.E.2d 682 (Ind. Ct. App. 2006). · cites it 4× “Ind.Code § 35-49-3-3. 4 .The State argues that the jury may have returned a guilty verdict on the dissemination charge with respect to D.”
Noah Pittman v. State of Indiana, 45 N.E.3d 805 (Ind. Ct. App. 2015). · cites it 4× “In King , the defendant was convicted of, among other things, attempted dissemination of matter harmful to minors, in which the completed crime is governed by Ind. Code § 35-49-3-3 and. provided at the time in relevant part: (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), a person who…”
Haycraft v. State, 760 N.E.2d 203 (Ind. Ct. App. 2001). · cites it 2× “§ 35-49-3-3. [4] Id. § 35-46-1-8. [5] Haycraft argues that the prosecutor was "referring to [Haycraft] as a witness and stating that [his] `testimony' was uncontroverted as well.”
State of Indiana v. Sameer Girish Thakar, 82 N.E.3d 257 (Ind. 2017). · cites it 4× “]” Ind. Code § 35-49-3-3 (a)(1). Furthermore, Indiana Code section 35-49-1-4 (2008) defines “minor” as “any individual under the age of eighteen (18) years,” and Indiana Code section 35-49-2-2 (2008) defines “harmful to minors” as follows: A matter or performance is harmful to…”
Nunley v. State, 916 N.E.2d 712 (Ind. Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 2× “Ind.Code § 35-49-3-3. 3 . RC. is AY.'s step-father.”
Lewis v. State, 726 N.E.2d 836 (Ind. Ct. App. 2000). · cites it 3× “…these two caveats, I concur in the affirmance of the convictions and the sentences imposed. NOTES [1] IND.CODE § 35-49-3-3 (Supp.1997).”
— Ind. Code § 35-49-3-3(02) — 1 case
Zitlaw v. State, 880 N.E.2d 724 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008). “Resolution of the issues raised by Zitlaw requires interpretation of Ind.Code § 35-49-3-3. The interpretation of a statute is a question of law reserved for the courts.”
— Ind. Code § 35-49-3-3(2) — 3 cases
Zitlaw v. State, 880 N.E.2d 724 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008). “Resolution of the issues raised by Zitlaw requires interpretation of Ind.Code § 35-49-3-3. The interpretation of a statute is a question of law reserved for the courts.”
M.S. v. State, 889 N.E.2d 900 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008).
MS v. State, 889 N.E.2d 900 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008).
— Ind. Code § 35-49-3-3(3) — 1 case
— Ind. Code § 35-49-3-3(4) — 2 cases
Riffel v. State, 549 N.E.2d 1084 (Ind. Ct. App. 1990).
Rodney Melton v. State of Indiana, 993 N.E.2d 253 (Ind. Ct. App. 2013).
— Ind. Code § 35-49-3-3(5) — 1 case
Zitlaw v. State, 880 N.E.2d 724 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008). “Resolution of the issues raised by Zitlaw requires interpretation of Ind.Code § 35-49-3-3. The interpretation of a statute is a question of law reserved for the courts.”
— Ind. Code § 35-49-3-3(a) — 5 cases
Zitlaw v. State, 880 N.E.2d 724 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008). “Resolution of the issues raised by Zitlaw requires interpretation of Ind.Code § 35-49-3-3. The interpretation of a statute is a question of law reserved for the courts.”
Gary Tibbs v. State of Indiana, 996 N.E.2d 1288 (Ind. Ct. App. 2013).
M.S. v. State, 889 N.E.2d 900 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008).
Gibbs v. State, 898 N.E.2d 1240 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008).
MS v. State, 889 N.E.2d 900 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008).
— Ind. Code § 35-49-3-3(a)(1) — 6 cases
Zitlaw v. State, 880 N.E.2d 724 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008). “Resolution of the issues raised by Zitlaw requires interpretation of Ind.Code § 35-49-3-3. The interpretation of a statute is a question of law reserved for the courts.”
Robert J. Adkins v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.), 111 N.E.3d 258 (Ind. Ct. App. 2018).
Steven M Stanley v. State of Indiana (Ind. Ct. App. 2025).
— Ind. Code § 35-49-3-3(a)(2) — 4 cases
M.S. v. State, 889 N.E.2d 900 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008).
MS v. State, 889 N.E.2d 900 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008).
Robert J. Adkins v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.), 111 N.E.3d 258 (Ind. Ct. App. 2018).
— Ind. Code § 35-49-3-3(a)(3) — 1 case
Zitlaw v. State, 880 N.E.2d 724 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008). “Resolution of the issues raised by Zitlaw requires interpretation of Ind.Code § 35-49-3-3. The interpretation of a statute is a question of law reserved for the courts.”
— Ind. Code § 35-49-3-3(a)(4) — 1 case
Gibbs v. State, 898 N.E.2d 1240 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008).
— Ind. Code § 35-49-3-3(a)(5) — 1 case
Zitlaw v. State, 880 N.E.2d 724 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008). “Resolution of the issues raised by Zitlaw requires interpretation of Ind.Code § 35-49-3-3. The interpretation of a statute is a question of law reserved for the courts.”
— Ind. Code § 35-49-3-3(a)(l) — 3 cases
Zitlaw v. State, 880 N.E.2d 724 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008). “Resolution of the issues raised by Zitlaw requires interpretation of Ind.Code § 35-49-3-3. The interpretation of a statute is a question of law reserved for the courts.”
State of Indiana v. Sameer Girish Thakar, 82 N.E.3d 257 (Ind. 2017). “]” Ind. Code § 35-49-3-3 (a)(1). Furthermore, Indiana Code section 35-49-1-4 (2008) defines “minor” as “any individual under the age of eighteen (18) years,” and Indiana Code section 35-49-2-2 (2008) defines “harmful to minors” as follows: A matter or performance is harmful to…”
State of Indiana v. Sameer Girish Thakar, 71 N.E.3d 27 (Ind. Ct. App. 2017).
— Ind. Code § 35-49-3-3(b) — 1 case
— Ind. Code § 35-49-3-3(b)(1) — 1 case
— Ind. Code § 35-49-3-3(b)(3) — 1 case
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