Senate Bill 135

Chair's Name: David Ralston

Committee: Judiciary Non Civil

Senate Sponsor: Bill Hamrick

SB 135 increases the penalties for reproducing certain recorded material. A first conviction carries a fine of $500.00 to $25,000.00, imprisonment of one to two years to serve at least 24 hours or both; a second conviction carries a fine of $1000.00 to $100,000.00, imprisonment of one to three years to serve at least 48 hours, or both; a third conviction carries a fine of $2,000.00 to $250,000.00 imprisonment from two to five years to serve at least six days, or both. Any equipment used to violate the Code section will be subject to forfeiture. Restitution damages will consider damages to the owner of the master recording and be based on an aggregate of wholesale value of the lawfully reproduced material; restitution damages will also take any investigative costs into account.

This bill received a Do Pass recommendation from the Judiciary Non Civil Committee and comes to the House Floor under the Open Rule.