By: Creighton  S.B. No. 1257
         (In the Senate - Filed February 27, 2023; March 9, 2023,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice;
  April 26, 2023, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 6,
  Nays 0; April 26, 2023, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the unlawful disclosure of an autopsy image or other
  visual depiction; creating a criminal offense.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 42, Penal Code, is amended by adding
  Section 42.076 to read as follows:
         Sec. 42.076.  UNLAWFUL DISCLOSURE OF AUTOPSY IMAGE OR OTHER
  VISUAL DEPICTION. (a) A person commits an offense if:
               (1)  the person discloses an image or other visual
  depiction of an autopsy without the prior consent of the person who
  is the subject of the autopsy or without the consent of that
  person's legal representative; and
               (2)  the disclosure of the image or other visual
  depiction reveals in any manner the identity of the person who is
  the subject of the autopsy, including through:
                     (A)  any accompanying or subsequent information
  or material related to the visual depiction; or
                     (B)  information or material provided by a third
  party in response to the disclosure of the visual depiction.
         (b)  It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this
  section that:
               (1)  the disclosure is made in the course of:
                     (A)  reporting unlawful activity;
                     (B)  a legal proceeding, if the disclosure is
  permitted or required by law; or
                     (C)  a legitimate medical, educational, research,
  scientific, investigational, forensic, or academic proceeding; or
               (2)  the actor is an interactive computer service, as
  defined by 47 U.S.C. Section 230, and the disclosure consists of an
  image or visual depiction provided by another person to the
  computer service.
         (c)  An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor.
         (d)  If conduct constituting an offense under this section
  also constitutes an offense under Section 552.352, Government Code,
  the actor may be prosecuted under either section.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
 
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