[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5059 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5059

     To amend title 18, United States Code, with respect to stored 
                       electronic communications.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 9, 2004

 Mr. Sherman (for himself, Mr. Case, and Mr. Etheridge) introduced the 
  following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To amend title 18, United States Code, with respect to stored 
                       electronic communications.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Internet Privacy Protection Act of 
2004''.

SEC. 2. STORED ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 121 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 2713. Improper access by service provider
    ``(a) Offense.--Except as provided in subsection (b), whoever, 
being a provider of electronic communication service, intentionally 
accesses the contents of a stored electronic communication while held 
in electronic storage by that provider shall be fined not more than 
$5,000.
    ``(b) Exceptions.--It is not an offense under subsection (a) if the 
access is a necessary incident to the rendition of the electronic 
communication service or compliance with section 2702.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 121 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at 
the end the following new item:

``2713. Improper access by service provider.''.
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