2016 -- S 2631

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LC004571

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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 PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS - DUTIES OF UTILITIES AND

CARRIERS

     

     Introduced By: Senators Lombardi, Archambault, Conley, Algiere, and Nesselbush

     Date Introduced: February 25, 2016

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     (Attorney General)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 39-2-20.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 39-2 entitled "Duties of

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Utilities and Carriers" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     39-2-20.1. Internet service providers -- Duty to disclose certain information. -- (a) As

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used in this chapter:

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      (1) "Internet service provider" means an entity offering the transmission, routing or

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providing of connections of digital online communications, between or among points specified by

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a user, of material of the user's choosing, without modification to the content of the material as

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sent or received and includes a provider of online services or network access, including entities

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that provide an electronic communication service or remote computing service, but does not mean

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the offering on a common carrier basis of telecommunication facilities or of telecommunications.

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      (2) "Electronic communication service" means any service which provides to its users

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the ability to send or receive wire or electronic communications.

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      (3) "Remote computing service" means the provision to the public of computer storage

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or processing services by means of an electronic communication system.

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      (4) "Foreign entities" means any entity that makes a contract or engages in a term of

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service agreement with a resident of the State of Rhode Island and a foreign entity.

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      (5) "Proper service" means the delivery of a search warrant or an administrative

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subpoena by hand, by United States mail, by commercial delivery service, by facsimile, or by any

 

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other manner to any officer of a corporation or its general manager in the State of Rhode Island to

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any natural person designated by the entity as their agent for service of process, or if such

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corporation has designated a corporate agent.

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      (6) "Service of process on a foreign entity" means that the service of a search warrant or

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subpoena which is properly served on said foreign entity shall have the same legal force and

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effect as if served personally within the State of Rhode Island.

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      (b) (1) An Internet service provider, as defined herein, shall disclose subscriber account

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information consisting of the name, address, IP address and telephone numbers associated with

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the account to the attorney general or to the superintendent of the Rhode Island state police upon

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proper service, and with certification under oath by the attorney general or by the superintendent

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of the Rhode Island state police, that the information is necessary for an officially documented

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criminal investigation or prosecution of criminal complaint based on probable cause related to:

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the exploitation for commercial or immoral purposes, pursuant to § 11-9-1; child nudity

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prohibited in publications pursuant to § 11-9-1.1; child pornography prohibited pursuant to § 11-

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9-1.3; employment of children for unlawful purposes pursuant to § 11-9-2; seizure and custody of

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exploited child-proceedings as against neglected child pursuant to § 11-9-3; contributing to

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delinquency pursuant to § 11-9-4; cruelty to or neglect of child pursuant to § 11-9-5; indecent

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solicitation of a child pursuant to § 11-37-8.8; access to computer for fraudulent purposes

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pursuant to § 11-52-2; intentional access, alteration, damage, or destruction pursuant to § 11-52-

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3; cyberstalking prohibited pursuant to § 11-52-4.2; violation of restraining order pursuant to §

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11-52-4.3; use of false information pursuant to § 11-52-7, and/or video voyeurism pursuant to §

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11-64-2, online impersonation pursuant to §11-52-7.1, and/or electronically disseminating

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indecent material to minors prohibited pursuant to §11-9-1.5.

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      (2) A duly authorized law enforcement person, as designated above, after issuing a

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certification pursuant to this section, if an arrest, grand jury proceeding, or any criminal

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prosecution does not result within sixty (60) days, shall apply to a judge for a search warrant as

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soon as practicable, but not later than seventy-five (75) days after issuance of the certification. In

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the event that such application is not approved, no information obtained or evidence derived from

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said subpoena shall be received in evidence or otherwise disclosed in any trial, hearing, or other

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proceeding in or before any court, grand jury, department, office, agency, regulatory body,

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legislative committee or other governmental authority or committee, and no information

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concerning any person acquired from such subpoena shall subsequently be used or disclosed in

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any other manner by state or local officers or employees without the consent of such person.

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      (c) An administrative subpoena issued to an Internet service provider shall authorize the

 

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release of non-content-based subscriber information identifying the name, address and telephone

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number of said account along with the Internet protocol number.

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      (d) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter, or any other provision of the general

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or public laws to the contrary, telephone records may not be released by an Internet service

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provider pursuant to an administrative subpoena. The Rhode Island superior court shall have the

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authority to enforce said administrative subpoenas upon application by the issuing law

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enforcement authority.

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      (e) The attorney general and/or the superintendent of the Rhode Island state police who

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issues an administrative subpoena to Internet service providers related to: the exploitation for

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commercial or immoral purpose, pursuant to § 11-9-1; child nudity prohibited in publications

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pursuant to § 11-9-1.1; child pornography prohibited pursuant to § 11-9-1.3; employment of

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children for unlawful purposes pursuant to § 11-9-2; seizure and custody of exploited child-

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proceedings as against neglected child pursuant to § 11-9-3; contributing to delinquency pursuant

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to § 11-9-4; cruelty to or neglect of child pursuant to § 11-9-5; indecent solicitation of a child

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pursuant to § 11-37-8.8; access to computer for fraudulent purposes pursuant to § 11-52-2;

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intentional access, alteration, damage, or destruction pursuant to § 11-52-3; cyberstalking

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prohibited pursuant to § 11-52-4.2; violation of restraining order pursuant to § 11-52-4.3; use of

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false information pursuant to § 11-52-7; and/or video voyeurism pursuant to § 11-64-2; online

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impersonation pursuant to §11-52-7.1, and/or electronically disseminating indecent material to

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minors prohibited pursuant to §11-9-1.5, shall provide an annual report to the general assembly

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each year detailing the following:

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      (1) The number of administrative subpoenas issued in the previous year;

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      (2) The number of separate criminal investigations for which the administrative

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subpoenas were issued and whether said administrative subpoenas resulted in an arrest,

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indictment or criminal information;

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      (3) The number of investigations that remain part of a pending investigation;

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      (4) The number that resulted in the closing of a criminal investigation as unfounded; and

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      (5) The number of investigations that did not result in an arrest, grand jury proceeding,

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or any criminal prosecution due to an inability to identify the subscriber.

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      (f) The attorney general's office and the Rhode Island state police shall compile and

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forward said reports to the general assembly on an annual basis by March 31 of each year for the

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previous year. The reports shall be a public record.

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      (g) No cause of action shall lie in any court against any Internet service provider, its

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officers, employees, or agents for furnishing or disclosing information, in strict compliance with

 

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this section.

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      (h) No law enforcement officer, or any party to these investigations under this section,

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shall disclose any information obtained as a result of this section, except as it is essential to the

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proper discharge of their duties.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS - DUTIES OF UTILITIES AND

CARRIERS

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     This act would add online impersonation and electronic dissemination of indecent

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materials to minors to the group of offenses for which an internet service provider must provide

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subscriber account information to the attorney general or to the state police upon proper service

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and with certification that the information is necessary for an official criminal investigation or

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prosecution.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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