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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the publication, republication, or other dissemination |
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of mug shots and other information regarding the involvement of an |
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individual in the criminal justice system; increasing a civil |
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penalty. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Chapter 109, Business & Commerce |
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Code, as added by Chapter 1200 (S.B. 1289), Acts of the 83rd |
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Legislature, Regular Session, 2013, is amended to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 109. BUSINESS ENTITIES ENGAGED IN PUBLICATION, |
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REPUBLICATION, OR OTHER DISSEMINATION OF CRIMINAL RECORD |
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INFORMATION |
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SECTION 2. Section 109.002, Business & Commerce Code, as |
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added by Chapter 1200 (S.B. 1289), Acts of the 83rd Legislature, |
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Regular Session, 2013, is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 109.002. APPLICABILITY OF CHAPTER. This chapter |
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applies to a business entity that: |
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(1) publishes, republishes, or otherwise |
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disseminates, through any print, electronic, or other medium, |
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criminal record information, including arrest photographs or |
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information[:
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[(A)] originally obtained pursuant to a request |
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for public information about a specific identifiable individual |
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under Chapter 552, Government Code; or originally obtained pursuant |
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to a bulk request for public information about random or |
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non-specifically identified individuals under Chapter 552, |
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Government Code; and [or] |
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(2) receives advertising revenue for, or |
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consideration for access to, a website or other publication |
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containing criminal record information, or solicits or requires the |
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payment of a fee or other consideration to: |
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(A) remove, correct, or modify criminal record |
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information; or |
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(B) access criminal record information or |
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portions of the information. |
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(b) This chapter does not apply to requests for information |
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specifically about identifiable particular individuals by a |
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publication of general circulation or an Internet website related |
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to such a publication that contains news or other information, |
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including a magazine, periodical newsletter, newspaper, pamphlet, |
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or report |
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[(B)
purchased or otherwise obtained by the
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entity or an affiliated business entity from the Department of
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Public Safety under Subchapter F, Chapter 411, Government Code; and
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[(2) requires the payment:
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[(A)
of a fee in an amount of $150 or more or
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other consideration of comparable value to remove criminal record
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information; or
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[(B)
of a fee or other consideration to correct
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or modify criminal record information]. |
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SECTION 3. Section 109.003, Business & Commerce Code, as |
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added by Chapter 1200 (S.B. 1289), Acts of the 83rd Legislature, |
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Regular Session, 2013, is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 109.003. DUTY TO DISSEMINATE [PUBLISH] COMPLETE AND |
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ACCURATE CRIMINAL RECORD INFORMATION. (a) A business entity must |
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ensure that criminal record information the entity publishes, |
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republishes, or otherwise disseminates is complete and accurate. |
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(b) For purposes of this chapter, criminal record |
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information published, republished, or otherwise disseminated by a |
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business entity is considered: |
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(1) complete if the information correctly reflects the |
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notations of arrest and the filing and disposition of criminal |
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charges, as applicable; and |
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(2) accurate if the information: |
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(A) reflects the most recent updated information |
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received by the entity [from the Department of Public Safety] in |
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accordance with Section 411.0851(b)(1)(B), Government Code; or |
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(B) was obtained by the entity from a law |
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enforcement agency or criminal justice agency, including the |
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Department of Public Safety, or any other governmental agency or |
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entity within the 60-day period preceding the date of publication, |
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republication, or other dissemination. |
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(c) A business entity shall state in a clear and conspicuous |
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manner on the front page of the publication, Internet website, or |
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other medium: |
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(1) that the information provided is true and correct; |
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(2) that any photographs have not been modified; and |
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(3) a disclaimer on each record for which a final |
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conviction has not been entered that the: |
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(A) "case is pending"; |
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(B) individual is "not convicted"; or |
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(C) individual is "innocent until proven |
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guilty". |
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(d) A business entity shall notify by mail or telephone each |
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individual whose criminal record information is being published, |
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republished, or otherwise disseminated of that fact. If the |
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business entity is unable to contact the individual who is the |
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subject of the information, the entity shall notify the agency or |
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entity from which the business entity obtained the information. |
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SECTION 4. Chapter 109, Business & Commerce Code, as added |
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by Chapter 1200 (S.B. 1289), Acts of the 83rd Legislature, Regular |
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Session, 2013, is amended by adding Sections 109.0031 and 109.0032 |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 109.0031. COPYRIGHT; CONTRACTS. (a) A criminal justice |
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agency owns a copyright of all photographs created by the agency. |
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(b) A criminal justice agency is under no duty and is not |
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required to enter into a contract or other agreement with any |
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individual or business entity to provide information or photographs |
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in bulk quantity to a requestor on a periodic or regularly recurring |
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basis. |
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Sec. 109.0032. PUBLICATION PERIOD OF PHOTOGRAPHS. (a) A |
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business entity may publish, republish, or otherwise disseminate a |
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copyrighted photograph created by a criminal justice agency for 30 |
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calendar days after the date the photograph was created. |
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(b) A business entity shall cease publishing, republishing, |
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or otherwise disseminating a copyrighted photograph if during the |
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30-day period the business entity receives notice that: |
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(1) an order of expunction has been issued under |
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Article 55.02, Code of Criminal Procedure, for the offense in |
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connection with which the photograph was taken; |
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(2) an order of nondisclosure has been issued under |
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Section 411.081(d), Government Code, for the offense in connection |
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with which the photograph was taken; |
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(3) the prosecution for the offense in connection with |
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which the photograph was taken has been dismissed; |
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(4) the individual has been acquitted of the offense |
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in connection with which the photograph was taken; or |
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(5) the individual has successfully completed a term |
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of deferred adjudication community supervision for the offense in |
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connection with which the photograph was taken. |
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(c) After the expiration of the 30-day period, on request of |
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the person who is the subject of the photograph or the copyright |
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holder, a business entity shall cease publishing, republishing, or |
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otherwise disseminating the copyrighted photograph. |
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(d) A business entity may not charge a fee for ceasing |
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publication, republication, or dissemination of a copyrighted |
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photograph under Subsection (b) or (c). |
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SECTION 5. Section 109.004, Business & Commerce Code, as |
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added by Chapter 1200 (S.B. 1289), Acts of the 83rd Legislature, |
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Regular Session, 2013, is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 109.004. DISPUTING COMPLETENESS OR ACCURACY OF |
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INFORMATION OR UNAUTHORIZED PUBLICATION OF PHOTOGRAPH. (a) A |
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business entity shall clearly and conspicuously publish an e-mail |
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address, fax number, telephone number, and a physical address or |
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mailing address to enable a person who is the subject of criminal |
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record information, or is the copyright holder of a photograph, |
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published, republished, or otherwise disseminated by the entity to |
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dispute the completeness or accuracy of the information or the |
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continued publication of a photograph required to be removed under |
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Section 109.0032. |
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(b) If a business entity receives a dispute under Subsection |
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(a) [regarding the completeness or accuracy of criminal record
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information from a person who is the subject of the information], |
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the business entity shall promptly: |
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(1) verify with the appropriate law enforcement agency |
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or criminal justice agency, including the Department of Public |
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Safety, or any other governmental agency or entity, free of charge |
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the disputed information, including any photograph; and |
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(2) complete the investigation described by |
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Subdivision (1) not later than the 10th |
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[45th] business day after |
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the date the entity receives notice of the dispute. |
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(c) If, after conducting an investigation prescribed by |
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Subsection (b), a business entity finds incomplete or inaccurate |
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criminal record information or that a photograph was published |
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after removal was required under Section 109.0032 [after conducting
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an investigation prescribed by this section], the entity shall |
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promptly remove the inaccurate information or photograph from the |
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website or other publication, or other medium used for |
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dissemination, or shall promptly correct the information, as |
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applicable. The entity may not: |
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(1) charge a fee to remove, correct, or modify |
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disputed [incomplete or inaccurate] information or remove a |
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copyrighted photograph; or |
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(2) continue to publish, republish, or otherwise |
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disseminate incomplete or inaccurate information or a copyrighted |
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photograph. |
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(d) A business entity shall provide written notice to the |
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person who disputed the [completeness or accuracy of] information |
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or the publication of a photograph of the results of an |
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investigation conducted under this section not later than the fifth |
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business day after the date on which the investigation is |
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completed. The notice must include: |
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(1) a statement that the investigation is complete; |
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(2) a statement of the determination made by the |
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entity on the completeness or accuracy of the disputed information |
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or on the continued publication of the photograph; |
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(3) a copy of the criminal record information or |
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photograph to be published, republished, or otherwise disseminated |
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after the investigation and a description of the results of the |
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investigation; and |
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(4) a statement that the entity shall provide, on |
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request, a description of the procedure used to determine the |
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completeness and accuracy of the information or the right of the |
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entity to continue to publish the photograph, including the name, |
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the business address, and, if available, the telephone number of |
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each law enforcement agency, other governmental entity, or other |
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person contacted in connection with the investigation or |
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verification. |
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SECTION 6. The heading to Section 109.005, Business & |
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Commerce Code, as added by Chapter 1200 (S.B. 1289), Acts of the |
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83rd Legislature, Regular Session, 2013, is amended to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 109.005. PUBLICATION, REPUBLICATION, OR OTHER |
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DISSEMINATION OF CERTAIN CRIMINAL RECORD INFORMATION PROHIBITED; |
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CIVIL LIABILITY. |
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SECTION 7. Sections 109.005(a) and (b), Business & Commerce |
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Code, as added by Chapter 1200 (S.B. 1289), Acts of the 83rd |
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Legislature, Regular Session, 2013, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A business entity may not publish, republish, or |
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otherwise disseminate any criminal record information in the |
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business entity's possession with respect to which the business |
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entity has knowledge or has received notice that: |
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(1) an order of expunction has been issued with |
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respect to that information under Article 55.02, Code of Criminal |
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Procedure; [or] |
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(2) an order of nondisclosure has been issued with |
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respect to that information under Section 411.081(d), Government |
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Code; |
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(3) the prosecution for the offense that is the |
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subject of the information has been dismissed; |
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(4) the individual has been acquitted of the offense |
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that is the subject of the information; or |
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(5) the individual has successfully completed a term |
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of deferred adjudication community supervision for the offense that |
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is the subject of the information. |
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(b) A business entity that disseminates [publishes] |
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information in violation of Subsection (a) or a photograph in |
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violation of Section 109.0032(b) is liable to the individual who is |
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the subject or copyright owner, as applicable, of the information |
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or photograph in an amount of $100 [not to exceed $500] for each |
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separate violation and, in the case of a continuing violation, an |
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amount of $100 [not to exceed $500] for each subsequent day on which |
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the violation occurs. |
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SECTION 8. Sections 109.006(a) and (c), Business & Commerce |
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Code, as added by Chapter 1200 (S.B. 1289), Acts of the 83rd |
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Legislature, Regular Session, 2013, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A business entity that publishes, republishes, or |
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otherwise disseminates criminal record information, including a |
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photograph, in violation of this chapter is liable to the state for |
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a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $1,000 [$500] for each |
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separate violation and, in the case of a continuing violation, an |
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amount not to exceed $1,000 [$500] for each subsequent day on which |
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the violation occurs. For purposes of this subsection, each |
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criminal record published, republished, or otherwise disseminated |
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in violation of this chapter constitutes a separate violation. |
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(c) A civil penalty collected under this section shall be |
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deposited in the [state treasury to the credit of the] general |
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revenue fund to be used only to support the Texas Correctional |
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Office on Offenders with Medical or Mental Impairments under |
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Chapter 614, Health and Safety Code. |
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SECTION 9. Subtitle B, Title 4, Government Code, is amended |
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by adding Chapter 412 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 412. PHOTOGRAPHS RELATED TO CRIMINAL RECORD INFORMATION |
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Sec. 412.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "law enforcement |
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agency" means an agency of the state, or of a county, municipality, |
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or other political subdivision of the state, that is engaged in the |
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administration or enforcement of criminal justice and that |
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allocates a substantial portion of its annual budget to the |
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administration or enforcement of criminal justice. |
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Sec. 412.002. INTERNET PUBLICATION OF CERTAIN PHOTOGRAPHS |
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ON LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY WEBSITES PROHIBITED. A law enforcement |
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agency may not publish on the agency's Internet website any |
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photograph taken pursuant to an arrest, lawful detention, or other |
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involvement in the criminal justice system, unless the person |
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depicted in the photograph has received a final conviction or grant |
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of deferred adjudication received a final conviction or grant of |
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deferred adjudication for the offense in connection with which the |
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photograph was taken. |
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SECTION 10. Chapter 109, Business & Commerce Code, as |
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amended by this Act, applies to any publication, republication, or |
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other dissemination of criminal record information, including a |
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photograph, that occurs on or after the effective date of this Act, |
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regardless of whether: |
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(1) the information relates to events or activities |
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that occurred before, on, or after that date; or |
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(2) the information was initially published, |
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republished, or otherwise disseminated before that date. |
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SECTION 11. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
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immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
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elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
|
Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
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immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |