§1303. Interception and disclosure of wire, electronic, or oral communications

A. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Chapter, it shall be unlawful for any person to:

(1) Willfully intercept, endeavor to intercept, or procure any other person to intercept or endeavor to intercept, any wire, electronic or oral communication;

(2) Willfully use, endeavor to use, or procure any other person to use or endeavor to use, any electronic, mechanical, or other device to intercept any oral communication when:

(a) Such device is affixed to, or otherwise transmits a signal through, a wire, cable, or other like connection used in wire or electronic communication; or

(b) Such device transmits communications by radio or interferes with the transmission of such communication;

(3) Willfully disclose, or endeavor to disclose, to any other person the contents of any wire, electronic, or oral communication, knowing or having reason to know that the information was obtained through the interception of a wire, electronic, or oral communication in violation of this Subsection; or

(4) Willfully use, or endeavor to use, the contents of any wire, electronic, or oral communication, knowing or having reason to know that the information was obtained through the interception of a wire, electronic, or oral communication in violation of this Subsection.

B. Any person who violates the provisions of this Section shall be fined not more than ten thousand dollars and imprisoned for not less than two years nor more than ten years at hard labor.

C.(1) It shall not be unlawful under this Chapter for an operator of a switchboard, or any officer, employee, or agent of any communications common carrier, whose facilities are used in the transmission of a wire communication, to intercept, disclose, or use that communication in the normal course of his employment while engaged in any activity which is a necessary incident to the rendition of his service or to the protection of the rights or property of the carrier of such communication; however, such communications common carriers shall not utilize service observing or random monitoring, except for mechanical or service quality control checks.

(2) It shall not be unlawful under this Chapter for an officer, employee, or agent of the Federal Communications Commission, in the normal course of his employment and in discharge of the monitoring responsibilities exercised by the commission in the enforcement of Chapter 5 of Title 47 of the United States Code, to intercept a wire or electronic communication, or oral communication transmitted by radio, or to disclose or use the information thereby obtained.

(3) It shall not be unlawful under this Chapter for a person acting under color of law to intercept a wire, electronic, or oral communication, where such person is a party to the communication or one of the parties to the communication has given prior consent to such interception. Such a person acting under color of law is authorized to possess equipment used under such circumstances.

(4) It shall not be unlawful under this Chapter for a person not acting under color of law to intercept a wire, electronic, or oral communication where such person is a party to the communication or where one of the parties to the communication has given prior consent to such interception, unless such communication is intercepted for the purpose of committing any criminal or tortious act in violation of the constitution or laws of the United States or of the state or for the purpose of committing any other injurious act.

(5) It shall not be unlawful under this Chapter:

(a) For the ultimate receiver of wire or electronic communication, or an investigative or law enforcement officer to use a pen register or trap and trace device as provided in Part III of this Chapter.

(b) For a provider of electronic communication services to record the fact that a wire or electronic communication was initiated or completed in order to protect such provider, or another provider furnishing service toward the completion of the wire or electronic communication, or a user of that service, from fraudulent, unlawful, or abusive use of such service.

(c) To use a device which captures the incoming electronic or other impulses which identify the numbers of an instrument from which a wire communication was transmitted.

(6) A person or entity providing electronic communication services to the public shall not intentionally divulge the contents of any communication while in transmission of that service to any person or entity other than an addressee or intended recipient of such communication or an agent of such addressee or intended recipient except:

(a) As otherwise authorized by federal or state law.

(b) To a person employed or authorized, or whose facilities are used, to forward such communication to its destination.

(c) Any electronic communication inadvertently obtained by the service provider and which appears to pertain to the commission of a crime, if such divulgence is made to a law enforcement agency.

(7) It shall not be unlawful under this Chapter for an officer or investigator of a law enforcement agency to intercept, conduct, use, or disclose electronic, wire, or oral communications obtained during a hostage situation or situation involving a barricaded individual. For the purposes of this Section, "hostage situation" means any situation which involves the unlawful abduction or restraint of one or more individuals with intent to restrict their freedom. For the purposes of this Section, "barricaded individual" means any situation that involves the use of a residence, or other structure, belonging to another to seek refuge from law enforcement after attempting or committing a crime or threatening suicide.

D.(1) Any investigative or law enforcement officer who, by any means authorized by this Chapter, has obtained knowledge of the contents of any wire, oral, or electronic communication, or evidence derived therefrom, may disclose the contents to another investigative or law enforcement officer to the extent that the disclosure is appropriate to the proper performance of the official duties of the officer making or receiving the disclosure.

(2) Any investigative or law enforcement officer who, by any means authorized by this Chapter, has obtained knowledge of the contents of any wire, oral, or electronic communication or evidence derived therefrom may use the contents to the extent the use is appropriate to the proper performance of his official duties.

(3) Any person who has received, by any means authorized by this Chapter, any information concerning a wire, oral, or electronic communication, or evidence derived therefrom intercepted in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter may disclose the contents of that communication or such derivative evidence while giving testimony under oath or affirmation in any proceeding held under the authority of the United States or of any state or political subdivision thereof.

(4) No otherwise privileged wire, oral, or electronic communication intercepted in accordance with, or in violation of, the provisions of this Chapter shall lose its privileged character.

E. Upon receipt of the information or evidence sought by the interception, the interception shall cease.

Acts 1985, No. 859, §1, eff. July 23, 1985; Acts 1991, No. 795, §1, eff. July 22, 1991; Acts 2001, No. 403, §2, eff. June 15, 2001; Acts 2006, No. 292, §1; Acts 2012, No. 727, §2.