Bill Text: TX HB1594 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to the duties of social media companies regarding prostitution and trafficking of persons; creating a criminal offense.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-03 - Referred to Business & Industry [HB1594 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-HB1594-Introduced.html
  88R7739 MLH-D
 
  By: Campos H.B. No. 1594
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the duties of social media companies regarding
  prostitution and trafficking of persons; creating a criminal
  offense.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Title 99, Business & Commerce Code, is amended by
  adding Chapter 2005 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 2005. DUTIES OF SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANY REGARDING
  PROSTITUTION AND TRAFFICKING OF PERSONS
         Sec. 2005.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
               (1)  "Social media company" means a business entity
  that provides or operates a social media website.
               (2)  "Social media website" means an interactive
  Internet website or application that enables multiple users to
  communicate with other users by posting, creating, sharing, or
  viewing content, including instant messages, blogs, information,
  comments, videos, and images. The term includes Facebook,
  Instagram, and Twitter.
         Sec. 2005.002.  PROSTITUTION AND TRAFFICKING OF PERSONS ON
  SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITES. (a) A social media company may not allow a
  person to use the company's social media website for engaging in
  conduct that constitutes an offense under Chapter 20A, Penal Code,
  or Subchapter A, Chapter 43, Penal Code.
         (b)  A social media company that discovers a person is using
  the company's social media website to engage in conduct described
  by Subsection (a) shall:
               (1)  preserve the offending content;
               (2)  notify the appropriate law enforcement authority;
               (3)  remove the offending content from being publicly
  accessible; and
               (4)  either:
                     (A)  suspend the account to which the content was
  posted; or
                     (B)  issue a warning to the account holder that
  posted the content.
         (c)  A social media company commits an offense if the company
  violates this section. An offense under this subsection is a Class
  A misdemeanor except that the offense is a state jail felony if the
  conduct is committed intentionally or knowingly.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
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