Bill Text: CT HB06921 | 2015 | General Assembly | Chaptered


Bill Title: An Act Concerning Invasions Of Privacy.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Passed) 2015-07-07 - Signed by the Governor [HB06921 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2015-HB06921-Chaptered.html

House Bill No. 6921

Public Act No. 15-213

AN ACT CONCERNING INVASIONS OF PRIVACY.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 53a-189a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):

(a) A person is guilty of voyeurism when, (1) with malice, such person knowingly photographs, films, videotapes or otherwise records the image of another person (A) without the knowledge and consent of such other person, (B) while such other person is not in plain view, and (C) under circumstances where such other person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, [or] (2) with intent to arouse or satisfy the sexual desire of such person or any other person, such person knowingly photographs, films, videotapes or otherwise records the image of another person (A) without the knowledge and consent of such other person, (B) while such other person is not in plain view, and (C) under circumstances where such other person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, (3) with the intent to arouse or satisfy the sexual desire of such person, commits simple trespass, as provided in section 53a-110a, and observes, in other than a casual or cursory manner, another person (A) without the knowledge or consent of such other person, (B) while such other person is inside a dwelling, as defined in section 53a-100, and not in plain view, and (C) under circumstances where such other person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, or (4) with intent to arouse or satisfy the sexual desire of such person or any other person, such person knowingly photographs, films, videotapes or otherwise records the genitals, pubic area or buttocks of another person or the undergarments or stockings that clothe the genitals, pubic area or buttocks of another person (A) without the knowledge and consent of such other person, and (B) while such genitals, pubic area, buttocks, undergarments or stockings are not in plain view.

(b) Voyeurism is (1) a class D felony for a first offense, except as provided in subdivision (3) of this subsection, (2) a class C felony for any subsequent offense, and (3) a class C felony for a first offense when (A) such person has been previously convicted of an offense enumerated in subsection (f) of section 53a-29, as amended by this act, or (B) the intended subject of the offense is a person under sixteen years of age.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 54-193, no person may be prosecuted for an offense under subdivision (1), (2) or (4) of subsection (a) of this section except within five years from the date of the offense, or within five years from the date the subject of the offense discovers the existence of the photograph, film, videotape or other recording that constitutes a violation of subdivision (1), (2) or (4) of subsection (a) of this section, whichever is later.

Sec. 2. Subsection (f) of section 53a-29 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):

(f) The period of probation, unless terminated sooner as provided in section 53a-32, shall be not less than ten years or more than thirty-five years for conviction of a violation of subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 53-21, [or] section 53a-70, 53a-70a, 53a-70b, 53a-71, 53a-72a, 53a-72b, 53a-90a [,] or subdivision (2), (3) or (4) of subsection (a) of section 53a-189a, as amended by this act, or section 53a-196b, 53a-196c, 53a-196d, 53a-196e or 53a-196f.

Sec. 3. Subdivision (5) of section 54-250 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):

(5) "Nonviolent sexual offense" means (A) a violation of section 53a-73a or subdivision (2), (3) or (4) of subsection (a) of section 53a-189a, as amended by this act, or (B) a violation of any of the offenses specified in subparagraph (A) of this subdivision for which a person is criminally liable under section 53a-8, 53a-48 or 53a-49.

Sec. 4. Subsection (c) of section 54-251 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the court may exempt any person who has been convicted or found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect of a violation of subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 53a-73a or subdivision (2), (3) or (4) of subsection (a) of section 53a-189a, as amended by this act, from the registration requirements of this section if the court finds that registration is not required for public safety.

Sec. 5. Subdivision (3) of subsection (b) of section 1-210 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):

(3) Records of law enforcement agencies not otherwise available to the public which records were compiled in connection with the detection or investigation of crime, if the disclosure of said records would not be in the public interest because it would result in the disclosure of (A) the identity of informants not otherwise known or the identity of witnesses not otherwise known whose safety would be endangered or who would be subject to threat or intimidation if their identity was made known, (B) the identity of minor witnesses, (C) signed statements of witnesses, (D) information to be used in a prospective law enforcement action if prejudicial to such action, (E) investigatory techniques not otherwise known to the general public, (F) arrest records of a juvenile, which shall also include any investigatory files, concerning the arrest of such juvenile, compiled for law enforcement purposes, (G) the name and address of the victim of a sexual assault under section 53a-70, 53a-70a, 53a-71, 53a-72a, 53a-72b or 53a-73a, voyeurism under section 53a-189a, as amended by this act, or injury or risk of injury, or impairing of morals under section 53-21, or of an attempt thereof, or (H) uncorroborated allegations subject to destruction pursuant to section 1-216;

Sec. 6. Section 54-86d of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):

Any person who has been the victim of a sexual assault under section 53a-70, 53a-70a, 53a-71, 53a-72a, 53a-72b or 53a-73a, voyeurism under section 53a-189a, as amended by this act, or injury or risk of injury, or impairing of morals under section 53-21, or of an attempt thereof, shall not be required to divulge his or her address or telephone number during any trial or pretrial evidentiary hearing arising from the sexual assault, voyeurism or injury or risk of injury to, or impairing of morals of, [children] a child; provided the judge presiding over such legal proceeding [shall find] finds: (1) Such information is not material to the proceeding, (2) the identity of the victim has been satisfactorily established, and (3) the current address of the victim will be made available to the defense in the same manner and time as such information is made available to the defense for other criminal offenses.

Sec. 7. Section 54-86e of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):

The name and address of the victim of a sexual assault under section 53a-70, 53a-70a, 53a-71, 53a-72a, 53a-72b or 53a-73a, voyeurism under section 53a-189a, as amended by this act, or injury or risk of injury, or impairing of morals under section 53-21, or of an attempt thereof, and such other identifying information pertaining to such victim as determined by the court, shall be confidential and shall be disclosed only upon order of the Superior Court, except that (1) such information shall be available to the accused in the same manner and time as such information is available to persons accused of other criminal offenses, and (2) if a protective order is issued in a prosecution under any of said sections, the name and address of the victim, in addition to the information contained in and concerning the issuance of such order, shall be entered in the registry of protective orders pursuant to section 51-5c.

Sec. 8. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2015) (a) A person is guilty of unlawful dissemination of an intimate image when (1) such person intentionally disseminates by electronic or other means a photograph, film, videotape or other recorded image of (A) the genitals, pubic area or buttocks of another person with less than a fully opaque covering of such body part, or the breast of such other person who is female with less than a fully opaque covering of any portion of such breast below the top of the nipple, or (B) another person engaged in sexual intercourse, as defined in section 53a-193 of the general statutes, (2) such person disseminates such image without the consent of such other person, knowing that such other person understood that the image would not be so disseminated, and (3) such other person suffers harm as a result of such dissemination. For purposes of this subsection, "disseminate" means to sell, give, provide, lend, trade, mail, deliver, transfer, publish, distribute, circulate, present, exhibit, advertise or otherwise offer.

(b) The provisions of subsection (a) of this subsection shall not apply to:

(1) Any image described in subsection (a) of this section of such other person if such image resulted from voluntary exposure or engagement in sexual intercourse by such other person, in a public place, as defined in section 53a-181 of the general statutes, or in a commercial setting;

(2) Any image described in subsection (a) of this section of such other person, if such other person is not clearly identifiable; or

(3) Any image described in subsection (a) of this section of such other person, if the dissemination of such image serves the public interest.

(c) Unlawful dissemination of an intimate image is a class A misdemeanor.

(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to impose liability on the provider of an interactive computer service, as defined in 47 USC 230, an information service, as defined in 47 USC 153, or a telecommunications service, as defined in section 16-247a of the general statutes, for content provided by another person.

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