Senator Todd Weiler proposes the following substitute bill:


1     
MATERIALS HARMFUL TO MINORS AMENDMENTS

2     
2018 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Todd Weiler

5     
House Sponsor: Keven J. Stratton

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill amends the Utah Criminal Code regarding an Internet service provider's
10     responsibility to offer content filtering methods for material harmful to minors.
11     Highlighted Provisions:
12          This bill:
13          ▸     amends the definition of Internet service provider;
14          ▸     requires an Internet service provider to notify consumers and the Division of
15     Consumer Protection of the ability to block material harmful to minors;
16          ▸     provides a civil fine for failure to comply with the preceding paragraph;
17          ▸     allows Internet service providers to engage a third party to assist with filtering
18     methods;
19          ▸     increases the cap on the civil fine that may be imposed on an Internet service
20     provider that knowingly fails to filter material harmful to minors;
21          ▸     removes provisions requiring the Division of Consumer Protection to test an
22     Internet service provider's filtering methods; and
23          ▸     makes technical changes.
24     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
25          None
26     Other Special Clauses:
27          None
28     Utah Code Sections Affected:
29     AMENDS:
30          76-10-1230, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 297
31          76-10-1231, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapters 297 and 382
32     

33     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
34          Section 1. Section 76-10-1230 is amended to read:
35          76-10-1230. Definitions.
36          As used in Sections 76-10-1231 and 76-10-1233:
37          (1) "Consumer" means [a natural person] an individual residing in this state who
38     subscribes to a service provided by a service provider for personal or residential use.
39          (2) "Content provider" means a person domiciled in Utah or that generates or hosts
40     content in Utah, and that creates, collects, acquires, or organizes electronic data for electronic
41     delivery to a consumer with the intent of making a profit.
42          (3) (a) "Hosting company" means a person that provides services or facilities for
43     storing or distributing content over the Internet without editorial or creative alteration of the
44     content.
45          (b) A hosting company may have policies concerning acceptable use without becoming
46     a content provider under Subsection (2).
47          (4) [(a)] "Internet service provider" means a person engaged in the business of
48     providing [a computer communications facility in Utah] broadband Internet access service,
49     with the intent of making a profit, [through which a consumer may obtain access to the
50     Internet] to consumers in Utah.
51          [(b) "Internet service provider" does not include a common carrier if it provides only
52     telecommunications service.]
53          (5) "Properly rated" means content using a labeling system to label material harmful to
54     minors provided by the content provider in a way that:
55          (a) accurately apprises a consumer of the presence of material harmful to minors; and
56          (b) allows the consumer the ability to control access to material harmful to minors
57     based on the material's rating by use of reasonably priced commercially available software,
58     including software in the public domain.
59          (6) "Restrict" means to limit access to material harmful to minors by:
60          (a) properly rating content; or
61          (b) any other reasonable measures feasible under available technology.
62          (7) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (7)(b), "service provider" means an Internet
63     service provider.
64          (b) "Service provider" does not include a person who does not terminate a service in
65     this state, but merely transmits data through:
66          (i) a wire;
67          (ii) a cable; or
68          (iii) an antenna.
69          (c) "Service provider," notwithstanding Subsection (7)(b), includes a person who meets
70     the requirements of Subsection (7)(a) and leases or rents a wire or cable for the transmission of
71     data.
72          Section 2. Section 76-10-1231 is amended to read:
73          76-10-1231. Data service providers -- Internet content harmful to minors.
74          (1) (a) Upon request by a consumer, a service provider shall filter content to prevent
75     the transmission of material harmful to minors to the consumer.
76          (b) A service provider complies with Subsection (1)(a) if [it uses a] the service
77     provider makes a good faith effort to apply a generally accepted and commercially reasonable
78     method of filtering.
79          (2) (a) At the time of a consumer's subscription to a service provider's service, [or at
80     the time this section takes effect if the consumer subscribes to the service provider's service at
81     the time this section takes effect,] the service provider shall notify the consumer in a
82     conspicuous manner that the consumer may request to have material harmful to minors blocked
83     under Subsection (1)(a).
84          (b) (i) A service provider shall, before December 30, 2018, notify in a conspicuous
85     manner all of the service provider's consumers with a Utah residential address that the
86     consumer may request material harmful to minors be blocked under Subsection (1)(a).
87          (ii) A service provider may provide the notice described in Subsection (2)(b)(i):
88          (A) by electronic communication;
89          (B) with a consumer's bill; or
90          (C) in another conspicuous manner.
91          (c) Before December 31, 2018, a service provider shall:
92          (i) notify the Division of Consumer Protection within the Department of Commerce
93     that notice was sent under Subsection (2)(b); and
94          (ii) provide the Division of Consumer Protection within the Department of Commerce
95     a copy of the notice that was sent under Subsection (2)(b).
96          (d) The Division of Consumer Protection within the Department of Commerce shall
97     report all violations of Subsections (2)(b) and (c) to the attorney general.
98          (3) (a) A service provider may comply with Subsection (1)(a) by[: (i)] providing
99     in-network filtering to prevent receipt of material harmful to minors, provided that the filtering
100     does not affect or interfere with access to Internet content for consumers who do not request
101     filtering under Subsection (1)[; or](a).
102          [(ii) providing software,]
103          (b) A service provider may comply with Subsection (1)(a) by engaging a third party to
104     provide [software, or referring users to a third party that provides filtering software, by
105     providing a clear and conspicuous hyperlink or written statement, for installation on the
106     consumer's computer that blocks, in an easy-to-enable and commercially reasonable manner,]
107     or referring a consumer to a third party that provides a commercially reasonable method of
108     filtering to block the receipt of material harmful to minors.
109          [(b)] (c) A service provider may charge a consumer a commercially reasonable fee for
110     providing filtering under this Subsection (3)[(a)].
111          (4) If the attorney general determines that a service provider violates Subsection (1) or
112     (2), the attorney general shall:
113          (a) notify the service provider that the service provider is in violation of Subsection (1)
114     or (2); and
115          (b) notify the service provider that the service provider has [30] 90 days to comply with
116     the provision being violated or be subject to Subsection (5).
117          (5) (a) A service provider that intentionally or knowingly violates Subsection (1)[or
118     (2)](a) is subject to a civil fine of $2,500 for each separate violation of Subsection (1)[or
119     (2)](a), up to [$10,000] $15,000 per day.
120          (b) A service provider that intentionally or knowingly violates Subsection (2) is subject
121     to a civil fine up to $10,000.
122          (6) A proceeding to impose a civil fine under Subsection (5) may only be brought by
123     the attorney general in a court of competent jurisdiction.
124          [(7) (a) The Division of Consumer Protection within the Department of Commerce
125     shall, in consultation with other entities as the Division of Consumer Protection considers
126     appropriate, test the effectiveness of a service provider's system for blocking material harmful
127     to minors under Subsection (1) at least annually.]
128          [(b) The results of testing by the Division of Consumer Protection under Subsection
129     (7)(a) shall be made available to:]
130          [(i) the service provider that is the subject of the test; and]
131          [(ii) the public.]
132          [(c) The Division of Consumer Protection shall make rules in accordance with Title
133     63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, to fulfil its duties under this section.]