WEST virginia legislature

2022 regular session

Committee Substitute

for

Senate Bill 520

By  Senators Blair (Mr. President) and Baldwin
(By Request of the Executive)

[Originating in the Committee on the Judiciary; reported on February 8, 2022]

A BILL to amend and reenact §61-3C-8 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to creating the felony offense of disrupting or degrading, causing the disruption or degradation, or threatening the disruption or degradation of computer services of another with the intent to obtain money or any other thing of value; and establishing criminal penalties.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 3C. WEST VIRGINIA COMPUTER CRIME AND ABUSE ACt.

§61-3C-8. Disruption of computer services.

(a) Any person who knowingly, willfully, and without authorization, directly or indirectly, disrupts or degrades, or causes the disruption or degradation of computer services, or denies or causes the denial of computer services to an authorized recipient or user of such computer services, shall be is guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $200 nor more than $1,000, or confined in the county jail not more than one year, or both.

(b) Any person who knowingly and willfully:

1) Disrupts or degrades;

2) Causes the disruption or degradation; or

3) Threatens to disrupt or degrade the computer services of an authorized recipient, user or, provider of such services with the intent to obtain money or any other thing of value, is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $1,000,000 or imprisoned in a state correctional facility not more than 20 years, or both fined and imprisoned.