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MISREPRESENTATION OF TELEPHONE AND TEXT

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IDENTIFICATION

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2015 GENERAL SESSION

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STATE OF UTAH

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Chief Sponsor: David E. Lifferth

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Senate Sponsor: Todd Weiler

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8     LONG TITLE
9     General Description:
10          This bill modifies the Utah Criminal Code regarding telephone and VoIP
11     communications.
12     Highlighted Provisions:
13          This bill:
14          ▸     prohibits making telephone calls or text messages that provide false or inaccurate
15     caller or text message identification information with the intent to harm;
16          ▸     prohibits making telephone calls or text messages that provide false or inaccurate
17     caller or text message identification information to a public safety answering point
18     when reporting an emergency;
19          ▸     provides that a first violation is a class C misdemeanor and that any subsequent
20     violation is a class B misdemeanor;
21          ▸     provides that the recipient of the call or text may bring a civil action for damages;
22     and
23          ▸     provides that an Internet service provider or hosting company, a provider of public
24     telecommunications services, or a text message service that transmits, routes, or
25     otherwise manages data without selecting the content is not subject to these
26     prohibitions.
27     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
28          None
29     Other Special Clauses:

30          None
31     Utah Code Sections Affected:
32     ENACTS:
33          76-10-1802, Utah Code Annotated 1953
34     

35     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
36          Section 1. Section 76-10-1802 is enacted to read:
37     
Part 18. Communications Fraud and Misrepresentation

38          76-10-1802. Misrepresentation of call or text communication identification.
39          (1) As used in this section:
40          (a) "Caller or text message identification information" means information provided by
41     a caller identification service or text message service regarding the telephone number or other
42     information regarding the origination of a call or text message made using a
43     telecommunications service or VoIP voice service.
44          (b) "Caller or text message identification service" means any service or device
45     designed to provide the user of the service or device with the telephone number of, or other
46     information regarding, the origination of a call or text message made using a
47     telecommunications service or VoIP voice service, including automatic number identification
48     services.
49          (c) "Text message":
50          (i) means a real-time or near real-time message consisting of text, images, sounds, or
51     other information transmitted from or received by a device identified by a telephone number;
52     and
53          (ii) does not include a real-time, two-way voice or video communication.
54          (d) "VoIP" means a technology that allows telephone calls to be made over computer
55     networks, including the Internet.
56          (2) It is unlawful for any person or individual, in connection with any
57     telecommunications service or VoIP voice service, to knowingly cause any caller identification

58     service or text message service to transmit false, misleading, or inaccurate caller or text
59     message identification information:
60          (a) with the intent to harm the recipient of the call or text message; or
61          (b) to a public safety answering point when reporting an emergency.
62          (3) This section does not prevent or restrict any person or individual from blocking the
63     capability of any caller or text message identification service to transmit caller or text message
64     identification information.
65          (4) The following are exempt from this section:
66          (a) the lawful investigative, protective, or intelligence activity of a law enforcement
67     agency; and
68          (b) a court order that specifically authorizes the use of caller or text message
69     identification manipulation.
70          (5) Each separate call or text message transmitted in violation of this section is:
71          (a) for a first violation, a class C misdemeanor; and
72          (b) for a second or subsequent violation, a class B misdemeanor.
73          (6) Violations may be enforced in a civil action initiated by the recipient of a call,
74     message, or text message made in violation of this section, a criminal action initiated by a
75     prosecuting attorney, or both.
76          (7) This section does not apply to an Internet service provider or hosting company, a
77     provider of public telecommunications services, or a text message service by reason of the fact
78     that the Internet service provider, hosting company, text message service, or provider of public
79     telecommunications services:
80          (i) transmits, routes, or provides connections for material without selecting the
81     material;
82          (ii) stores or delivers the material at the direction of a user; or
83          (iii) provides a caller or text message identification service.