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H.B. 143

             1     

RESTRICTIONS ON SEXUALLY EXPLICIT

             2     
EMAIL

             3     
2002 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Sponsor: Bradley A. Winn

             6      This act enacts provisions imposing requirements on persons who send unsolicited sexually
             7      explicit email. The act provides for a cause of action in favor of those who receive an
             8      unsolicited sexually explicit email that violates those requirements. The act provides a
             9      criminal penalty for a violation of those requirements. S T HIS ACT PROVIDES A COORDINATION CLAUSE. s
             10      This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
             11      ENACTS:
             12          13-34-101, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             13          13-34-102, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             14          13-34-103, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             15          13-34-104, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             16          13-34-105, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             17      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             18          Section 1. Section 13-34-101 is enacted to read:
             19     
CHAPTER 34. UNSOLICITED SEXUALLY EXPLICIT EMAIL ACT

             20          13-34-101. Title.
             21          This chapter is known as the "Unsolicited Sexually Explicit Email Act."
             22          Section 2. Section 13-34-102 is enacted to read:
             23          13-34-102. Definitions.
             24          As used in this chapter:
             25          (1) "Computer network" means two or more computers that are interconnected to exchange
             26      electronic messages, files, data, or other information.
             27          (2) "Email" means an electronic message, file, data, or other information that is


             28      transmitted:
             29          (a) between two or more computers, computer networks, or electronic terminals; or
             30          (b) within a computer network.
             31          (3) "Email address" means a destination, commonly expressed as a string of characters,
             32      to which email may be sent or delivered.
             33          (4) "Email service provider" means a person that:
             34          (a) is an intermediary in the transmission of email from the sender to the recipient; or
             35          (b) provides to end users of email service the ability to send and receive email.
             36          (5) "Internet domain name" means a globally unique, hierarchical reference to an Internet
             37      host or service, assigned through centralized Internet authorities, comprising a series of character
             38      strings separated by periods, with the right-most string specifying the top of the hierarchy.
             39          (6) "Sexually explicit email" means an email that contains, promotes, or contains an
             40      electronic link to material that is harmful to minors, as defined in Section 76-10-1201 .
             41          (7) "Unsolicited" means without the recipient's express permission.
             42          Section 3. Section 13-34-103 is enacted to read:
             43          13-34-103. Unsolicited sexually explicit email -- Requirements.
             44          (1) Each person who sends or causes to be sent an unsolicited sexually explicit email
             45      through the intermediary of an email service provider located in the state or to an email address
             46      held by a resident of the state shall:
             47          (a) conspicuously state in the email the sender's:
             48          (i) legal name;
             49          (ii) correct street address; and
             50          (iii) valid Internet domain name;
             51          (b) include in the email a subject line that contains "ADV:ADULT" as the first nine
             52      characters;
             53          (c) provide the recipient a convenient, no-cost mechanism to notify the sender not to send
             54      any future email to the recipient, including:
             55          (i) return email to a valid, functioning return electronic address; and
             56          (ii) if the sender has a toll-free telephone number, the sender's toll-free telephone number;
             57      and
             58          (d) conspicuously provide in the text of the email a notice that:


             59          (i) informs the recipient that the recipient may conveniently and at no cost be excluded
             60      from future sexually explicit email from the sender; and
             61          (ii) if the sender has a toll-free telephone number, includes the sender's valid, toll-free
             62      telephone number that the recipient may call to be excluded from future email from the sender.
             63          (2) A person who sends or causes to be sent an unsolicited sexually explicit email through
             64      the intermediary of an email service provider located in the state or to an email address held by a
             65      resident of the state may not:
             66          (a) use a third party's Internet domain name in identifying the point of origin or in stating
             67      the transmission path of the email without the third party's consent;
             68          (b) misrepresent any information in identifying the point of origin or the transmission path
             69      of the email; or
             70          (c) fail to include in the email the information necessary to identify the point of origin of
             71      the email.
             72          (3) If the recipient of an unsolicited sexually explicit email notifies the sender that the
             73      recipient does not want to receive future sexually explicit email from the sender, the sender may
             74      not send that recipient a sexually explicit email either directly or through a subsidiary or affiliate.
             75          (4) An email service provider does not violate this section solely by being an intermediary
             76      between the sender and recipient in the transmission of an email that violates this section.
             77          Section 4. Section 13-34-104 is enacted to read:
             78          13-34-104. Criminal penalty.
             79          (1) A person who violates any requirement of Section 13-34-103 is guilty of a class
             79a      h [ C ] B h
             80      misdemeanor.
             81          (2) A criminal conviction or a penalty assessed as a result of a criminal conviction under
             82      Subsection (1) does not relieve the person convicted or assessed from civil liability in an action
             83      under Section 13-34-105 .
             84          Section 5. Section 13-34-105 is enacted to read:
             85          13-34-105. Civil action for violation -- Election on damages -- Costs and attorney fees.
             86          (1) For any violation of a provision of Section 13-34-103 , an action may be brought by:
             87          (a) a person who received the unsolicited sexually explicit email with respect to which the
             88      violation under Section 13-34-103 occurred; or
             89          (b) an email service provider through whose facilities the unsolicited sexually explicit


             90      email was transmitted.
             91          (2) In each action under Subsection (1):
             92          (a) a recipient or email service provider may:
             93          (i) recover actual damages; or
             94          (ii) elect, in lieu of actual damages, to recover the lesser of:
             95          (A) $10 per unsolicited sexually explicit email received by the recipient or transmitted
             96      through the email service provider; or
             97          (B) $25,000 per day that the violation occurs; and
             98          (b) each prevailing recipient or email service provider shall be awarded costs and
             99      reasonable attorney fees.
             100          (3) It is a defense to an action brought under this section that the unsolicited sexually
             101      explicit email was transmitted accidentally.
             101a      S (4) THE VIOLATION OF SECTION 13-34-103 BY AN EMPLOYEE DOES NOT SUBJECT THE
             101b      EMPLOYEE'S EMPLOYER TO LIABILITY UNDER THAT SECTION IF THE EMPLOYEE'S VIOLATION OF
             101c      SECTION 13-34-103 IS ALSO A VIOLATION OF AN ESTABLISHED POLICY OF THE EMPLOYER THAT
             101d      REQUIRES COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION 13-34-103.
             101e          Section 6. Coordination clause.
             101f          IF THIS BILL AND 3rd SUBSTITUTE H.B. 80, UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL EMAIL, BOTH PASS,
             101g      IT IS THE INTENT OF THE LEGISLATURE THAT THE PROVISIONS ENACTED UNDER BOTH BILLS BE
             101h      COMBINED INTO TITLE 13, CHAPTER 34 TO READ AS FOLLOWS:
             101i          "Section 13-34-101 is enacted to read:
             101j          CHAPTER 34. UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL AND SEXUALLY EXPLICIT EMAIL ACT
             101k               13-34-101.   Title.
             101l          THIS CHAPTER IS KNOWN AS THE "UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL AND SEXUALLY EXPLICIT
             101m      EMAIL ACT."
             101n          Section 2. Section 13-34-102 is enacted to read:
             101o               13-34-102.   Definitions.
             101p          AS USED IN THIS CHAPTER:
             101q          (1) "COMMERCIAL" MEANS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROMOTING THE SALE, LEASE, OR
             101r      EXCHANGE OF GOODS, SERVICES, OR REAL PROPERTY.
             101s          (2) "COMPUTER NETWORK" MEANS TWO OR MORE COMPUTERS THAT ARE
             101t      INTERCONNECTED TO EXCHANGE ELECTRONIC MESSAGES, FILES, DATA, OR OTHER
             101u      INFORMATION.
             101v          (3) "EMAIL" MEANS AN ELECTRONIC MESSAGE, FILE, DATA, OR OTHER INFORMATION THAT
             101w      IS TRANSMITTED:
             101x          (a) BETWEEN TWO OR MORE COMPUTERS, COMPUTER NETWORKS, OR ELECTRONIC
             101y      TERMINALS; OR
             101z          (b) WITHIN A COMPUTER NETWORK. s


             101aa      S     (4) "EMAIL ADDRESS" MEANS A DESTINATION, COMMONLY EXPRESSED AS A STRING OF
             101ab      CHARACTERS, TO WHICH EMAIL MAY BE SENT OR DELIVERED.
             101ac          (5) "EMAIL SERVICE PROVIDER" MEANS A PERSON THAT:
             101ad          (a) IS AN INTERMEDIARY IN THE TRANSMISSION OF EMAIL FROM THE SENDER TO THE
             101ae      RECIPIENT; OR
             101af          (b) PROVIDES TO END USERS OF EMAIL SERVICE THE ABILITY TO SEND AND RECEIVE
             101ag      EMAIL.
             101ah          (6) "INTERNET DOMAIN NAME" MEANS A GLOBALLY UNIQUE, HIERARCHICAL REFERENCE
             101ai      TO AN INTERNET HOST OR SERVICE, ASSIGNED THROUGH CENTRALIZED INTERNET AUTHORITIES,
             101aj      COMPRISING A SERIES OF CHARACTER STRINGS SEPARATED BY PERIODS, WITH THE RIGHT-MOST
             101ak      STRING SPECIFYING THE TOP OF THE HIERARCHY.
             101al          (7) (a) "SEXUALLY EXPLICIT EMAIL" MEANS AN EMAIL THAT CONTAINS, PROMOTES, OR
             101am      CONTAINS AN ELECTRONIC LINK TO MATERIAL THAT IS HARMFUL TO MINORS, AS DEFINED IN
             101an      SECTION 76-10-1201.
             101ao          (b) AN EMAIL IS A SEXUALLY EXPLICIT EMAIL IF IT MEETS THE DEFINITION IN SUBSECTION
             101ap      (7)(a), EVEN IF THE EMAIL ALSO MEETS THE DEFINITION OF A COMMERCIAL EMAIL.
             101aq          (8) (a) "UNSOLICITED" MEANS WITHOUT THE RECIPIENT'S EXPRESS PERMISSION, EXCEPT
             101ar      AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (8)(b).
             101as          (b) A COMMERCIAL EMAIL IS NOT "UNSOLICITED" IF THE SENDER HAS A PREEXISTING
             101at      BUSINESS OR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE RECIPIENT.
             101au          Section 3. Section 13-34-103 is enacted to read:
             101av               13-34-103.   Unsolicited commercial or adult email -- Requirements.
             101aw          (1) EACH PERSON WHO SENDS OR CAUSES TO BE SENT AN UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL
             101ax      EMAIL OR AN UNSOLICITED SEXUALLY EXPLICIT EMAIL THROUGH THE INTERMEDIARY OF AN
             101ay      EMAIL SERVICE PROVIDER LOCATED IN THE STATE OR TO AN EMAIL ADDRESS HELD BY A
             101az      RESIDENT OF THE STATE SHALL:
             101ba          (a) CONSPICUOUSLY STATE IN THE EMAIL THE SENDER'S:
             101bb          (i) LEGAL NAME;
             101bc          (ii) CORRECT STREET ADDRESS; AND
             101bd          (iii) VALID INTERNET DOMAIN NAME;
             101be          (b) INCLUDE IN THE EMAIL A SUBJECT LINE THAT CONTAINS:
             101bf          (i) FOR A COMMERCIAL EMAIL, "ADV:" AS THE FIRST FOUR CHARACTERS; OR
             101bg          (ii) FOR A SEXUALLY EXPLICIT EMAIL, "ADV:ADULT" AS THE FIRST NINE CHARACTERS;
             101bh          (c) PROVIDE THE RECIPIENT A CONVENIENT, NO-COST MECHANISM TO NOTIFY THE
             101bi      SENDER NOT TO SEND ANY FUTURE EMAIL TO THE RECIPIENT, INCLUDING:
             101bj          (i) RETURN EMAIL TO A VALID, FUNCTIONING RETURN ELECTRONIC ADDRESS; AND
             101bk          (ii) FOR A SEXUALLY EXPLICIT EMAIL AND IF THE SENDER HAS A TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE
             101bl      NUMBER, THE SENDER'S TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE NUMBER; AND
             101bm          (d) CONSPICUOUSLY PROVIDE IN THE TEXT OF THE EMAIL A NOTICE THAT:
             101bn          (i) INFORMS THE RECIPIENT THAT THE RECIPIENT MAY CONVENIENTLY AND AT NO COST s


             101bo      S BE EXCLUDED FROM FUTURE COMMERCIAL OR SEXUALLY EXPLICIT EMAIL, AS THE CASE MAY
             101bp      BE, FROM THE SENDER; AND
             101bq          (ii) FOR A SEXUALLY EXPLICIT EMAIL AND IF THE SENDER HAS A TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE
             101br      NUMBER, INCLUDES THE SENDER'S VALID, TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE NUMBER THAT THE RECIPIENT
             101bs      MAY CALL TO BE EXCLUDED FROM FUTURE EMAIL FROM THE SENDER.
             101bt          (2) A PERSON WHO SENDS OR CAUSES TO BE SENT AN UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL EMAIL
             101bu      OR AN UNSOLICITED SEXUALLY EXPLICIT EMAIL THROUGH THE INTERMEDIARY OF AN EMAIL
             101bv      SERVICE PROVIDER LOCATED IN THE STATE OR TO AN EMAIL ADDRESS HELD BY A RESIDENT OF
             101bw      THE STATE MAY NOT:
             101bx          (a) USE A THIRD PARTY'S INTERNET DOMAIN NAME IN IDENTIFYING THE POINT OF ORIGIN
             101by      OR IN STATING THE TRANSMISSION PATH OF THE EMAIL WITHOUT THE THIRD PARTY'S CONSENT;
             101bz          (b) MISREPRESENT ANY INFORMATION IN IDENTIFYING THE POINT OF ORIGIN OR THE
             101ca      TRANSMISSION PATH OF THE EMAIL; OR
             101cb          (c) FAIL TO INCLUDE IN THE EMAIL THE INFORMATION NECESSARY TO IDENTIFY THE POINT
             101cc      OF ORIGIN OF THE EMAIL.
             101cd          (3) IF THE RECIPIENT OF AN UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL EMAIL OR AN UNSOLICITED
             101ce      SEXUALLY EXPLICIT EMAIL NOTIFIES THE SENDER THAT THE RECIPIENT DOES NOT WANT TO
             101cf      RECEIVE FUTURE COMMERCIAL EMAIL OR FUTURE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT EMAIL, RESPECTIVELY,
             101cg      FROM THE SENDER, THE SENDER MAY NOT SEND THAT RECIPIENT A COMMERCIAL EMAIL OR A
             101ch      SEXUALLY EXPLICIT EMAIL, AS THE CASE MAY BE, EITHER DIRECTLY OR THROUGH A SUBSIDIARY
             101ci      OR AFFILIATE.
             101cj          Section 1 3-34-104 is enacted to read:
             101ck               13-34-104.   Criminal penalty.
             101cl          (1) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES ANY REQUIREMENT OF SECTION 13-34-103 WITH RESPECT TO
             101cm      AN UNSOLICITED SEXUALLY EXPLICIT EMAIL IS GUILTY OF A CLASS B MISDEMEANOR.
             101cn          (2) A CRIMINAL CONVICTION OR A PENALTY ASSESSED AS A RESULT OF A CRIMINAL
             101co      CONVICTION UNDER SUBSECTION (1) DOES NOT RELIEVE THE PERSON CONVICTED OR ASSESSED
             101cp      FROM CIVIL LIABILITY IN AN ACTION UNDER SECTION 13-34-105.
             101cq          Section 5. Section 13-34-105 is enacted to read:
             101cr               13-34-105.   Civil action for violation -- Election on damages -- Costs and attorney fees --
             101cs      Defense.
             101ct          (1) FOR ANY VIOLATION OF A PROVISION OF SECTION 13-34-103, AN ACTION MAY BE
             101cu      BROUGHT BY:
             101cv          (a) A PERSON WHO RECEIVED THE UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL EMAIL OR UNSOLICITED
             101cw      SEXUALLY EXPLICIT EMAIL WITH RESPECT TO WHICH THE VIOLATION UNDER SECTION 13-34-103
             101cx      OCCURRED; OR
             101cy          (b) AN EMAIL SERVICE PROVIDER THROUGH WHOSE FACILITIES THE UNSOLICITED
             101cz      COMMERCIAL EMAIL OR UNSOLICITED SEXUALLY EXPLICIT EMAIL WAS TRANSMITTED.
             101da          (2) IN EACH ACTION UNDER SUBSECTION (1):
             101db          (a) A RECIPIENT OR EMAIL SERVICE PROVIDER MAY:
             101dc          (i) RECOVER ACTUAL DAMAGES; OR s


             101dd      S     (ii) ELECT, IN LIEU OF ACTUAL DAMAGES, TO RECOVER THE LESSER OF:
             101de          (A) $10 PER UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL EMAIL OR UNSOLICITED SEXUALLY EXPLICIT
             101df      EMAIL RECEIVED BY THE RECIPIENT OR TRANSMITTED THROUGH THE EMAIL SERVICE PROVIDER;
             101dg      OR
             101dh          (B) $25,000 PER DAY THAT THE VIOLATION OCCURS; AND
             101di          (b) EACH PREVAILING RECIPIENT OR EMAIL SERVICE PROVIDER SHALL BE AWARDED
             101dj      COSTS AND REASONABLE ATTORNEY FEES.
             101dk          (3) AN EMAIL SERVICE PROVIDER DOES NOT VIOLATE SECTION 11-13-103 SOLELY BY BEING
             101dl      AN INTERMEDIARY BETWEEN THE SENDER AND RECIPIENT IN THE TRANSMISSION OF AN EMAIL
             101dm      THAT VIOLATES THAT SECTION.
             101dn          (4) THE VIOLATION OF SECTION 13-34-103 BY AN EMPLOYEE DOES NOT SUBJECT THE
             101do      EMPLOYEE'S EMPLOYER TO LIABILITY UNDER THAT SECTION IF THE EMPLOYEE'S VIOLATION OF
             101dp      SECTION 13-34-103 IS ALSO A VIOLATION OF AN ESTABLISHED POLICY OF THE EMPLOYER THAT
             101dq      REQUIRES COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION 13-34-103.
             101dr          (5) IT IS A DEFENSE TO AN ACTION BROUGHT UNDER THIS SECTION THAT THE
             101ds      UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL EMAIL OR UNSOLICITED SEXUALLY EXPLICIT EMAIL WAS
             101dt      TRANSMITTED ACCIDENTALLY." s




Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-30-02 12:44 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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