Bill > SB1830

This bill, known as "The Intercollegiate Student-Athlete Protection Act," establishes new legal protections for student athletes involved in intercollegiate sports by creating a criminal offense of student athlete harassment. This offense includes intentionally communicating a threat related to a student athlete's performance or engaging in sports-related bullying or cyber-bullying, which is defined as aggressive and unwanted behavior through electronic means intended to harm, intimidate, or humiliate a student athlete and cause them emotional distress. A first offense is classified as a Class A misdemeanor, while subsequent offenses are elevated to a Class E felony. Importantly, the bill grants student athletes who are victims of this harassment a private right of action, allowing them to sue individuals convicted of the offense and potentially recover significant damages, including a minimum of $75,000 in statutory damages per violation, actual damages, punitive damages, and attorney fees. The act also includes provisions to protect electronic communications service providers from liability when acting in the normal course of business, while still requiring them to disclose information to law enforcement under specific legal conditions like a warrant or court order.

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https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB1830&ga=114