2016 -- H 7763

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LC004481

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES-COMPUTER CRIME

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Fogarty, Amore, Ackerman, Maldonado, and Gallison

     Date Introduced: February 26, 2016

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     (Attorney General)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Chapter 11-52 of the General Laws entitled "Computer Crime" is hereby

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amended by adding the following section:

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     11-52-9. Posting message through electronic medium. -- (a) A person shall not post a

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message to any other person, through the use of any medium of communication, including the

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Internet or a computer, computer program, computer system, or computer network, or other

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electronic medium of communication, without the intended recipient's consent, if all of the

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following apply:

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     (1) The person knows or has reason to know that posting the message could cause two (2)

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or more separate non-continuous acts of unconsented contact with the recipient;

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     (2) Posting the message is intended to cause conduct that would make the intended

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recipient feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed, or molested;

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     (3) Conduct arising from posting the message would cause a reasonable person to suffer

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emotional distress and to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed, or

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molested; and

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     (4) Conduct arising from posting the message causes the intended recipient to suffer

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emotional distress and to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed, or

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molested.

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     (b) Every person convicted of an offense under this section shall be guilty of a

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misdemeanor for the first offense and shall be subject to imprisonment not exceeding one year, a

 

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fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both, and an order of restitution as provided herein.

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Every person convicted of a second or subsequent offense shall be guilty of a felony and shall be

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subject to imprisonment not exceeding three (3) years, a fine of three thousand dollars ($3,000),

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or both, and an order of restitution as provided herein.

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     (c) Every person convicted of an offense under this section shall be subject to an order for

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restitution, if appropriate, which shall be in addition to any other applicable penalty.

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     (d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to impose liability on an interactive

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computer service, as defined in 47 U.S.C. §153, or a telecommunications service, as defined in

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§44-18-7.1, for content provided by another person.

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     (e) A person may be prosecuted in this state for violating or attempting to violate this

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section only if one of the following applies:

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     (1) The person posts the message while in this state;

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     (2) Conduct arising from posting the message occurs in this state;

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     (3) The intended recipient is present in this state at the time the offense or any element of

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the offense occurs; or

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     (4) The person posting the message knows that the intended recipient resides in this state.

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     (f) In addition the definitions provided in §11-52-1, the following are definitions as used

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in this section:

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     (1) "Device" includes, but is not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, electrochemical,

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biomedical, hydraulic, optical, or organic object that performs input, output, or storage functions

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by manipulation of electronic, magnetic, or other impulses;

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     (2) "Emotional distress" means significant mental suffering or distress that may, but does

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not necessarily, require medical or other professional treatment or counseling;

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     (3) "Internet" means that term as defined in section 230 of title II of the Communications

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Act of 1934, 47 U.S.C. §230;

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     (4) "Post a message" means transferring, sending, posting, publishing, disseminating, or

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otherwise communicating or attempting to transfer, send, post, publish, disseminate, or otherwise

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communicate information, whether truthful or untruthful, about the victim;

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     (5) "Unconsented contact" means any contact with another individual that is initiated or

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continued without that individual’s consent or in disregard of that individual’s expressed desire

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that the contact be avoided or discontinued. Unconsented contact includes any of the following:

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     (i) Following or appearing within sight of the victim;

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     (ii) Approaching or confronting the intended recipient in a public place or on private

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property;

 

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     (iii) Appearing at the intended recipient’s workplace or residence;

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     (iv) Entering onto or remaining on property owned, leased, or occupied by the intended

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recipient;

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     (v) Contacting the intended recipient by telephone;

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     (vi) Sending mail, or electronic communications to the intended recipient through the use

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of any medium, including the Internet, a computer, computer program, computer system, or

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computer network; or

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     (vii) Placing an object on, or delivering or having delivered an object on, property owned,

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leased, or occupied by the intended recipient;

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     (6) "Intended recipient" means the individual who is the target of the conduct elicited by

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the posted message or a member of that individual's immediate family.

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     SECTION 2. Section 11-52-4.3 of the General Laws is Chapter 11-52 entitled "Computer

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Crime" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     11-52-4.3 Violation of restraining order. -- (a) Whenever there is a restraining order or

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injunction issued by a court of competent jurisdiction enjoining one person from harassing

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another person, and the person so enjoined is convicted of the crime as set forth in §§11-52-4.2 or

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11-52-9 for actions against the person protected by the court order or injunction, he or she shall

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be guilty of a felony which shall be punishable by imprisonment for not more than two (2) years,

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or by a fine of not more than six thousand dollars ($6,000), or both.

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     (b) A second or subsequent conviction under subsection (a) of this section shall be

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punishable by imprisonment for not more than five (5) years, by a fine of not more than ten

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thousand dollars ($10,000), or both.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES-COMPUTER CRIME

***

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     This act would make in unlawful for any person to post a message through the use of any

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medium of communication, without the intended recipient’s consent, if the person knows or has

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reason to know that posting the message could cause two or more separate non-continuous acts of

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unconsented contact with the intended recipient, if posting the message is intended to cause

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conduct that would make the recipient feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened,

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harassed, or molested or would cause a reasonable person to suffer emotional distress and to feel

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terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed or molested and cause the recipient to

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suffer emotional distress.

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     A first offense would be punished as a misdemeanor and a second or subsequent offense

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would punishable as felony. Restitution may also be ordered.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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