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S.B. 243

             1     

MINOR'S ACCESS TO HARMFUL MATERIAL

             2     
ON THE INTERNET

             3     
2000 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Sponsor: Scott N. Howell

             6      AN ACT RELATING TO THE CRIMINAL CODE; AMENDING PROVISIONS REGARDING
             7      MATERIAL HARMFUL TO MINORS TO INCLUDE MATERIAL AVAILABLE THROUGH
             8      THE INTERNET.
             9      This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
             10      AMENDS:
             11          76-10-1206, as last amended by Chapter 164, Laws of Utah 1997
             12      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             13          Section 1. Section 76-10-1206 is amended to read:
             14           76-10-1206. Dealing in material harmful to a minor -- Use of the Internet.
             15          (1) A person is guilty of dealing in [harmful] material harmful to minors when, knowing
             16      that a person is a minor, or having failed to exercise reasonable care in ascertaining the proper age
             17      of a minor, he:
             18          (a) intentionally distributes or offers to distribute, exhibits or offers to exhibit to a minor
             19      any [harmful] material harmful to [a minor] minors;
             20          (b) intentionally produces, presents, or directs any performance before a minor, that is
             21      harmful to minors; [or]
             22          (c) intentionally participates in any performance before a minor, that is harmful to
             23      minors[.]; or
             24          (d) intentionally by means of the Internet places, posts, or makes available to minors any
             25      material harmful to minors.
             26          (2) (a) (i) In committing an offense under Subsection (1)(d), the person is presumed to
             27      know that the material harmful to minors is available to minors if access is not restricted by:


             28          (A) requiring the use of a credit card, debit account, adult access code, or adult personal
             29      identification number; or
             30          (B) any other reasonable measures.
             31          (ii) A statement indicating that the site where the material is located is for adults only, or
             32      that it is illegal for a minor to enter the site, is not a reasonable measure to restrict access by
             33      minors.
             34          (b) Subsection (1)(d) does not apply to electronic mail, automatic mailing list services,
             35      news groups, chat rooms, or discussion groups.
             36          (c) Material under Subsection (1)(d) includes only pictures, images, or graphic image files
             37      that:
             38          (i) meet the definition of material harmful to minors under Section 76-10-1201 ; and
             39          (ii) explicitly depict sexual conduct or simulated sexual conduct, as defined in Section
             40      76-5a-2 .
             41          (d) Subsection (1)(d) does not include an Internet service provider who:
             42          (i) provides a client's Internet access solely as a passive conduit; and
             43          (ii) does not exercise any influence or control over the content of the client's web site or
             44      page other than as may be authorized by the contract between the client and the Internet service
             45      provider.
             46          [(2)] (3) Each separate offense under this section is a third degree felony punishable by a
             47      minimum mandatory fine of not less than $300 plus $10 for each article exhibited up to the
             48      maximum allowed by law and by incarceration, without suspension of sentence in any way, for a
             49      term of not less than 14 days. This section supersedes Section 77-18-1 .
             50          [(3)] (4) If a defendant has already been convicted once under this section, each separate
             51      further offense is a second degree felony punishable by a minimum mandatory fine of not less than
             52      $5,000 plus $10 for each article exhibited up to the maximum allowed by law and by incarceration,
             53      without suspension of sentence in any way, for a term of not less than one year. This section
             54      supersedes Section 77-18-1 .





Legislative Review Note
    as of 2-10-00 4:47 PM


A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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