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H.B. 165 Enrolled

                 

CHILD PROTECTION REGISTRY

                 
2004 GENERAL SESSION

                 
STATE OF UTAH

                 
Sponsor: Michael R. Styler

                 
                  LONG TITLE
                  General Description:
                      This bill enacts provisions within the Commerce and Trade Code related to a child
                  protection registry.
                  Highlighted Provisions:
                      This bill:
                      .    defines terms;
                      .    requires the Division of Consumer Protection to establish a registry of contact points
                  for minors;
                      .    prohibits a person from sending certain materials to a registered contact point; and
                      .    provides criminal, administrative, and civil penalties.
                  Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
                      None
                  Other Special Clauses:
                      This bill takes effect on July 1, 2005.
                  Utah Code Sections Affected:
                  ENACTS:
                      13-39-101, Utah Code Annotated 1953
                      13-39-102, Utah Code Annotated 1953
                      13-39-201, Utah Code Annotated 1953
                      13-39-202, Utah Code Annotated 1953
                      13-39-203, Utah Code Annotated 1953
                      13-39-301, Utah Code Annotated 1953
                      13-39-302, Utah Code Annotated 1953


                      13-39-303, Utah Code Annotated 1953
                      13-39-304, Utah Code Annotated 1953
                 
                  Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
                      Section 1. Section 13-39-101 is enacted to read:
                 
CHAPTER 39. CHILD PROTECTION REGISTRY

                 
Part 1. General Provisions

                      13-39-101. Title.
                      This chapter is known as the "Child Protection Registry."
                      Section 2. Section 13-39-102 is enacted to read:
                      13-39-102. Definitions.
                      As used in this chapter:
                      (1) "Contact point" means an electronic identification to which a communication may be
                  sent, including:
                      (a) an email address; or
                      (b) subject to Subsection 13-39-201 (2):
                      (i) an instant message identity, subject to rules made by the division under Subsection
                  13-39-203 (1);
                      (ii) a telephone number;
                      (iii) a facsimile number; or
                      (iv) an electronic address:
                      (A) similar to a contact point listed in this Subsection (1); and
                      (B) defined as a contact point by rule made by the division under Subsection
                  13-39-203 (1).
                      (2) "Division" means the Division of Consumer Protection in the Department of
                  Commerce.
                      (3) "Registry" means the child protection registry established in Section 13-39-201 .
                      Section 3. Section 13-39-201 is enacted to read:

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Part 2. Operation of the Child Protection Registry

                      13-39-201. Establishment of child protection registry.
                      (1) The division shall:
                      (a) establish and operate a child protection registry to compile and secure a list of contact
                  points the division has received pursuant to this section; or
                      (b) contract with a third party to establish and secure the registry described in Subsection
                  (1)(a).
                      (2) (a) The division shall implement the registry described in this section with respect to
                  email addresses beginning on July 1, 2005.
                      (b) The division shall implement the registry described in this section with respect to
                  instant message identities after:
                      (i) the division has determined to the satisfaction of the division the security of the
                  registry described in this section with respect to email addresses; and
                      (ii) the division has reported to the Public Utilities and Technology Interim Committee the
                  intention of the division to implement the registry described in this section with respect to instant
                  message identities.
                      (c) The division shall implement the registry described in this section with respect to
                  telephone numbers, facsimile numbers, and electronic addresses described in Subsection
                  13-39-102 (1)(b)(iv) after:
                      (i) the division has determined to the satisfaction of the division the security of the
                  registry described in this section with respect to instant message identities; and
                      (ii) the division has reported to the Public Utilities and Technology Interim Committee the
                  intention of the division to implement the registry described in this section with respect to
                  telephone numbers, facsimile numbers, and electronic addresses described in Subsection
                  13-39-102 (1)(b)(iv).
                      (3) (a) A person may register a contact point with the division pursuant to rules
                  established by the division under Subsection 13-39-203 (1) if:
                      (i) the contact point belongs to a minor; or

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                      (ii) a minor has access to the contact point.
                      (b) A school or other institution that primarily serves minors may register its domain
                  name with the division pursuant to rules made by the division under Subsection 13-39-203 (1).
                      (c) The division shall provide a disclosure to a person who registers a contact point under
                  this section that reads: "No solution is completely secure. The most effective way to protect
                  children on the Internet is to supervise use and review all email messages and other
                  correspondence. Under law, theft of a contact point from the Child Protection Registry is a class
                  B felony. While every attempt will be made to secure the Child Protection Registry, registrants
                  and their guardians should be aware that their contact points may be at a greater risk of being
                  misappropriated by marketers who choose to disobey the law."
                      (4) A person desiring to send a communication described in Subsection 13-39-202 (1) to a
                  contact point or domain shall:
                      (a) use a mechanism established by rule made by the division under Subsection
                  13-39-203 (2); and
                      (b) pay a fee for use of the mechanism described in Subsection (4)(a) determined by the
                  division in accordance with Section 63-38-3.2 .
                      Section 4. Section 13-39-202 is enacted to read:
                      13-39-202. Prohibition of sending certain materials to a registered contact point.
                      (1) A person may not send, cause to be sent, or conspire with a third party to send a
                  communication to a contact point or domain that has been registered for more than 30 calendar
                  days with the division under Section 13-39-201 if the communication:
                      (a) advertises a product or service that a minor is prohibited by law from purchasing; or
                      (b) contains or advertises material that is harmful to minors, as defined in Section
                  76-10-1201 .
                      (2) The consent of a minor is not a defense to a violation of this section.
                      (3) An Internet service provider does not violate this section for solely transmitting a
                  message across the network of the Internet service provider.
                      Section 5. Section 13-39-203 is enacted to read:

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                      13-39-203. Rulemaking authority.
                      In accordance with Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
                  division shall make rules to establish procedures under which:
                      (1) (a) a person may register a contact point with the division under Section 13-39-201 ,
                  including:
                      (i) the information necessary to register an instant message identity; and
                      (ii) for purposes of Subsection 13-39-102 (1)(b)(iv), an electronic address that is similar to
                  a contact point listed in Subsection 13-39-102 (1); and
                      (b) a school or other institution that primarily serves minors may register its domain name
                  with the division under Section 13-39-201 ; and
                      (2) the division shall:
                      (a) provide a mechanism under which a person described in Subsection 13-39-201 (4) may
                  verify compliance with the registry to remove registered contact points from the person's
                  communications; and
                      (b) establish the mechanism described in Subsection (2)(a) in a manner that protects the
                  privacy and security of a contact point registered with the division under Section 13-39-201 .
                      Section 6. Section 13-39-301 is enacted to read:
                 
Part 3. Enforcement

                      13-39-301. Criminal penalty.
                      (1) A person who violates Section 13-39-202 commits a computer crime and:
                      (a) is guilty of a class B misdemeanor for a first offense with respect to a contact point
                  registered with the division under Subsection 13-39-201 (3)(a); and
                      (b) is guilty of a class A misdemeanor:
                      (i) for each subsequent violation with respect to a contact point registered with the
                  division under Subsection 13-39-201 (3)(a); or
                      (ii) for each violation with respect to a domain name registered with the division under
                  Subsection 13-39-201 (3)(b).
                      (2) A person commits a computer crime and is guilty of a second degree felony if the

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                  person:
                      (a) uses information obtained from the division under this chapter to violate Section
                  13-39-202 ;
                      (b) improperly:
                      (i) obtains contact points from the registry; or
                      (ii) attempts to obtain contact points from the registry; or
                      (c) uses, or transfers to a third party to use, information from the registry to send a
                  solicitation.
                      (3) A criminal conviction or penalty under this section does not relieve a person from civil
                  liability in an action under Section 13-39-302 .
                      (4) Each communication sent in violation of Section 13-39-202 is a separate offense
                  under this section.
                      Section 7. Section 13-39-302 is enacted to read:
                      13-39-302. Civil action for violation.
                      (1) For a violation of Section 13-39-202 , an action may be brought by:
                      (a) a user of a contact point or domain name registered with the division under Section
                  13-39-201 ; or
                      (b) a legal guardian of a user described in Subsection (1)(a).
                      (2) In each action under Subsection (1):
                      (a) a person described in Subsection (1) may recover the greater of:
                      (i) actual damages; or
                      (ii) $1,000 for each communication sent in violation of Section 13-39-202 ; and
                      (b) the prevailing party shall be awarded costs and reasonable attorney fees.
                      Section 8. Section 13-39-303 is enacted to read:
                      13-39-303. Administrative enforcement.
                      (1) The division shall:
                      (a) investigate violations of this chapter; and
                      (b) assess cease and desist orders and administrative fines under this section for violations

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                  of this chapter.
                      (2) A person who violates this chapter is subject to:
                      (a) a cease and desist order; and
                      (b) an administrative fine of not more than $2,500 for each separate communication sent
                  in violation of Section 13-39-202 .
                      (3) (a) A person who intentionally violates this chapter is subject to an administrative fine
                  of not more than $5,000 for each communication intentionally sent in violation of Section
                  13-39-202 .
                      (b) For purposes of this section, a person intentionally violates this chapter if the violation
                  occurs after the division, attorney general, or a district or county attorney notifies the person by
                  certified mail that the person is in violation of this chapter.
                      (4) All administrative fines collected under this section shall be deposited in the Consumer
                  Protection Education and Training Fund created in Section 13-2-8 .
                      Section 9. Section 13-39-304 is enacted to read:
                      13-39-304. Defenses.
                      It is a defense to an action brought under this chapter that a person:
                      (1) reasonably relied on the mechanism established by the division under Subsection
                  13-39-203 (2); and
                      (2) took reasonable measures to comply with this chapter.
                      Section 10. Effective date.
                      This bill takes effect on July 1, 2005.

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