Bill Text: TX HB2483 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Comm Sub


Bill Title: Relating to the capture, use, or recording of certain items for commercial purposes, including the prosecution of criminal offenses regarding unauthorized recordings.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-05-08 - Placed on General State Calendar [HB2483 Detail]

Download: Texas-2017-HB2483-Comm_Sub.html
  85R27525 TSR-F
 
  By: Parker H.B. No. 2483
 
  Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2483:
 
  By:  Stickland C.S.H.B. No. 2483
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the capture, use, or recording of certain items for
  commercial purposes, including the prosecution of criminal
  offenses regarding unauthorized recordings.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 503.001, Business & Commerce Code, is
  amended by adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
         (e)  This section does not apply to a financial institution
  or an affiliate of a financial institution, as those terms are
  defined by 15 U.S.C. Section 6809.
         SECTION 2.  Section 641.001(4), Business & Commerce Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
               (4)  "Recording" means a tangible medium on which
  sounds, images, or both are recorded or otherwise stored,
  including:
                     (A)  an original phonograph record, disc, tape,
  audio or video cassette, wire, film, memory card, flash drive, hard
  drive, data storage device, or other medium now existing or later
  developed; or
                     (B)  a copy or reproduction that wholly or partly
  duplicates the original.
         SECTION 3.  Section 641.054, Business & Commerce Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 641.054.  IMPROPER LABELING. (a)  A person commits an
  offense if:
               (1)  for commercial advantage or private financial
  gain, the person knowingly:
                     (A)  advertises, offers for sale, sells, rents, or
  transports a recording;
                     (B)  causes the sale, resale, rental, or
  transportation of a recording; or
                     (C)  possesses a recording for a purpose described
  by Paragraph (A) or (B); and
               (2)  the outside cover, box, or jacket of the recording
  does not clearly and conspicuously disclose[:
                     [(A)]  the actual name and address of the
  manufacturer[; and
                     [(B)  the name of the performer or group].
         (b)  An offense under this section is punishable by:
               (1)  imprisonment for a term of not more than five
  years, a fine not to exceed $250,000, or both imprisonment and the
  fine, if:
                     (A)  the offense involves [at least] 65 or more
  improperly labeled [unauthorized] recordings, or the commercial
  equivalent thereof, during a 180-day period; or
                     (B)  the defendant has been previously convicted
  under this section;
               (2)  imprisonment for a term of not more than two years,
  a fine not to exceed $250,000, or both imprisonment and the fine, if
  the offense involves more than seven but fewer than 65 improperly
  labeled [unauthorized] recordings, or the commercial equivalent
  thereof, during a 180-day period; or
               (3)  confinement in the county jail for a term of not
  more than one year, a fine not to exceed $25,000, or both
  confinement and the fine, if the offense is not otherwise
  punishable under Subdivision (1) or (2).
         SECTION 4.  Article 42.037, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended by adding Subsections (t), (u), and (v) to read as follows:
         (t)  If a person is convicted of an offense under Section
  641.054, Business & Commerce Code, the court shall order the person
  to make restitution to an owner or lawful producer of a master
  recording that has suffered financial loss as a result of the
  offense or to a trade association that represents that owner or
  lawful producer.  The amount of restitution ordered shall be:
               (1)  the greater of:
                     (A)  the aggregate wholesale value of the lawfully
  manufactured and authorized recordings corresponding to the number
  of nonconforming recordings involved in the offense; or
                     (B)  the actual financial loss to the owner,
  lawful producer, or trade association; and
               (2)  the costs associated with investigating the
  offense.
         (u)  For purposes of Subsection (t)(1)(A):
               (1)  the calculation of the aggregate wholesale value
  is based on the average wholesale value of the lawfully
  manufactured and authorized recordings; and
               (2)  the specific wholesale value of each nonconforming
  recording is not relevant to the calculation.
         (v)  For purposes of Subsection (t)(1)(B), the possession of
  a nonconforming recording intended for sale constitutes an actual
  financial loss to an owner or lawful producer equal to the actual
  value of the legitimate wholesale purchases displaced by the
  nonconforming recordings.
         SECTION 5.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this
  section, the changes in law made by this Act apply only to an
  offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. An
  offense committed before the effective date of this Act is governed
  by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the
  former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of
  this subsection, an offense was committed before the effective date
  of this Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date.
         (b)  The change in law made by this Act to Section 503.001,
  Business & Commerce Code, applies only to a violation that occurs on
  or after the effective date of this Act. A violation that occurs
  before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in
  effect on the date the violation occurred, and the former law is
  continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
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