| 1 | 1 | | 81R477 KEL-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: McCall H.B. No. 2003 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the creation of the offense of online harassment. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 33, Penal Code, is amended by adding |
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| 10 | 10 | | Section 33.07 to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 33.07. ONLINE HARASSMENT. (a) A person commits an |
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| 12 | 12 | | offense if the person uses the name or persona of another person to |
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| 13 | 13 | | create a web page on or to post one or more messages on a commercial |
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| 14 | 14 | | social networking site: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (1) without obtaining the other person's consent; and |
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| 16 | 16 | | (2) with the intent to harass, embarrass, intimidate, |
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| 17 | 17 | | or threaten any person. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (b) A person commits an offense if the person sends an |
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| 19 | 19 | | electronic mail, instant message, text message, or similar |
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| 20 | 20 | | communication that references a name, domain address, phone number, |
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| 21 | 21 | | or other item of identifying information belonging to any person: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (1) without obtaining the other person's consent; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) with the intent to cause a recipient of the |
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| 24 | 24 | | communication to reasonably believe that the other person |
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| 25 | 25 | | authorized or transmitted the communication. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (c) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor, |
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| 27 | 27 | | except that the offense is a felony of the third degree if the actor |
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| 28 | 28 | | commits the offense with the intent to harm or defraud another. |
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| 29 | 29 | | (d) If conduct that constitutes an offense under this |
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| 30 | 30 | | section also constitutes an offense under any other law, the actor |
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| 31 | 31 | | may be prosecuted under this section, the other law, or both. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (e) In this section: |
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| 33 | 33 | | (1) "Commercial social networking site" means any |
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| 34 | 34 | | business, organization, or other similar entity operating a website |
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| 35 | 35 | | that permits persons to become registered users for the purpose of |
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| 36 | 36 | | establishing personal relationships with other users through |
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| 37 | 37 | | direct or real-time communication with other users or the creation |
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| 38 | 38 | | of web pages or profiles available to the public or to other users. |
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| 39 | 39 | | The term does not include an electronic mail program or a message |
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| 40 | 40 | | board program. |
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| 41 | 41 | | (2) "Identifying information" has the meaning |
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| 42 | 42 | | assigned by Section 32.51. |
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| 43 | 43 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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