Download Zipped Enrolled WordPerfect HB0221.ZIP
[Introduced][Amended][Status][Bill Documents][Fiscal Note][Bills Directory]

H.B. 221 Enrolled

                 

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION HARASSMENT

                 
2005 GENERAL SESSION

                 
STATE OF UTAH

                 
Chief Sponsor: John Dougall

                 
Senate Sponsor: Curtis S. Bramble

                 
                  LONG TITLE
                  General Description:
                      This bill amends the current law regarding telephone harassment to include other forms
                  of electronic communication harassment.
                  Highlighted Provisions:
                      This bill:
                      .    defines electronic communication;
                      .    creates the offense of committing acts of communication harassment by electronic
                  means, in addition to by telephone, with the intent to annoy or alarm a recipient,
                  including the acts of:
                          .    repeatedly attempting to contact a recipient via electronic means after having
                  been told to not contact the recipient; and
                          .    jamming or disrupting a recipient's electronic communication device; and
                      .    clarifies that these provisions do not create any civil cause of action based on
                  electronic communications made for legitimate business purposes.
                  Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
                      None
                  Other Special Clauses:
                      None
                  Utah Code Sections Affected:
                  AMENDS:
                      76-9-201, as last amended by Chapter 128, Laws of Utah 2001
                 


                  Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
                      Section 1. Section 76-9-201 is amended to read:
                       76-9-201. Electronic communication harassment -- Definitions -- Penalties.
                      (1) As used in this section:
                      (a) "Electronic communication" means any communication by electronic,
                  electro-mechanical, or electro-optical communication device for the transmission and reception
                  of audio, image, or text but does not include broadcast transmissions or similar communications
                  that are not targeted at any specific individual.
                      (b) "Electronic communication device" includes telephone, facsimile, electronic mail, or
                  pager.
                      [(1)] (2) A person is guilty of [telephone] electronic communication harassment and
                  subject to prosecution in the jurisdiction where the [telephone call] communication originated or
                  was received if with intent to annoy, alarm, intimidate, offend, abuse, threaten, harass, [or]
                  frighten [another at the called number,], or disrupt the electronic communications of another, the
                  person:
                      (a) (i) makes repeated [telephone calls] contact by means of electronic communications,
                  whether or not a conversation ensues[,]; or
                      (ii) after [having been told] the recipient has requested or informed the person not to [call
                  back, causes the telephone of another to ring] contact the recipient, and the person repeatedly or
                  continuously[;]:
                      (A) contacts the electronic communication device of the recipient; or
                      (B) causes an electronic communication device of the recipient to ring or to receive other
                  notification of attempted contact by means of electronic communication;
                      (b) makes [a telephone call] contact by means of electronic communication and insults,
                  taunts, or challenges the recipient of the [telephone call] communication or any person at the
                  [called number] receiving location in a manner likely to provoke a violent or disorderly response;
                  [or]
                      (c) makes [a telephone call] contact by means of electronic communication and threatens


                  to inflict injury, physical harm, or damage to any person or the property of any person[.]; or
                      (d) causes disruption, jamming, or overload of an electronic communication system
                  through excessive message traffic or other means utilizing an electronic communication device.
                      [(2)] (3) [Telephone] Electronic communication harassment is a class B misdemeanor.
                      (4) This section does not create any civil cause of action based on electronic
                  communications made for legitimate business purposes.


[Bill Documents][Bills Directory]