87R7610 SCL-D
 
  By: Shaheen H.B. No. 2188
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to civil liability for censorship by social media
  companies.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Title 4, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is
  amended by adding Chapter 100D to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 100D. LIABILITY FOR SOCIAL MEDIA CENSORSHIP
         Sec. 100D.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
               (1)  "Interactive computer service" means any
  information service, system, or access software provider that
  provides or enables computer access to a computer server by
  multiple users, including a service or system that provides access
  to the Internet or a system operated or service offered by a library
  or educational institution.
               (2)  "Information content provider" means a person who
  is responsible, wholly or partly, for the creation or development
  of information provided through the Internet or any other
  interactive computer service.
               (3)  "Social media site" means an Internet website in
  which users share and generate content and locate and connect with
  users with common interests.
         Sec. 100D.002.  APPLICABILITY. This chapter applies only to
  an interactive computer service provider that:
               (1)  is immune from civil liability under federal law;
               (2)  is not considered a publisher in accordance with
  Section 100D.006(b);
               (3)  has over one million users; and
               (4)  provides a social media site.
         Sec. 100D.003.  LIABILITY FOR CENSORSHIP. Except as
  provided by Section 100D.006, an interactive computer service
  provider that restricts, censors, or suppresses information is
  liable to the information content provider and any person who may
  have received the information had the information not been
  restricted, censored, or suppressed for damages incurred by the
  restriction, censorship, or suppression.
         Sec. 100D.004.  REMEDIES. (a)  A claimant who prevails in an
  action under this chapter shall be awarded:
               (1)  compensatory damages;
               (2)  treble any compensatory damages;
               (3)  court costs; and
               (4)  reasonable attorney's fees.
         (b)  In addition to an award under Subsection (a), a claimant
  who prevails in an action under this chapter may be awarded
  exemplary damages.
         Sec. 100D.005.  AUTHORIZED VENUE. A claimant may bring an
  action under this chapter in a district court in a county in which
  the claimant resides.
         Sec. 100D.006.  EXCEPTIONS. (a)  An interactive computer
  service provider is not liable under Section 100D.003 if the
  provider:
               (1)  voluntarily takes an action in good faith to
  restrict access to or availability of information that the provider
  or a user considers to be obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy,
  excessively violent, harassing, or otherwise objectionable
  regardless of whether the information is constitutionally
  protected; or
               (2)  takes an action to enable or make available to a
  person, including an information content provider, the technical
  means to restrict access to information described by Subdivision
  (1).
         (b)  An interactive computer service provider may state in
  the terms of service that the provider is a publisher. If a claimant
  agrees to the terms of service, the claimant may not bring an action
  under this chapter.
         (c)  An interactive computer service provider may limit
  content to subject matter expressly stated in the provider's terms
  of service and is not liable under Section 100D.003 for the
  limitation.
         SECTION 2.  Section 100D.003, Civil Practice and Remedies
  Code, as added by this Act, applies only to a cause of action that
  accrues on or after the effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.