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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of the criminal offense of unlawful |
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disclosure of residence address or telephone number. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 42, Penal Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 42.074 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 42.074. UNLAWFUL DISCLOSURE OF RESIDENCE ADDRESS OR |
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TELEPHONE NUMBER. (a) A person commits an offense if the person |
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posts on a publicly accessible website the residence address or |
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telephone number of an individual with the intent to cause harm or a |
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threat of harm to the individual or a member of the individual's |
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family or household. |
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(b) An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor, |
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except that the offense is a Class A misdemeanor if the offense |
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results in the bodily injury of: |
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(1) the individual whose residence address or |
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telephone number was posted on a publicly accessible website; or |
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(2) a member of the individual's family or household. |
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(c) This section does not apply to a public servant who |
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posted information described by Subsection (a) to a publicly |
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accessible website in the performance of the public servant's |
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duties as required by or in accordance with state or federal law. |
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(d) If conduct that constitutes an offense under this |
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section also constitutes an offense under Section 36.06(a-1), the |
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actor may be prosecuted under either section but not both. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |