2016 -- H 7420

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- PUBLIC UTILITIES

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Fogarty, Amore, Melo, Craven, and Blazejewski

     Date Introduced: January 29, 2016

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 11-35-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-35 entitled "Public

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Utilities" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     11-35-4. Injuries to electric or communication lines. -- (a) Every person who shall

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wantonly or willfully and maliciously cut, destroy, break down, or injure, or attempt to cut,

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destroy, break down, or injure any machine, appliance, or apparatus used for generating electric

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currents or any electric wire or other appliance or apparatus used for the purpose of conducting or

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transmitting electric currents for using and furnishing power, motive power, light, or heat, or used

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for the purpose of transmitting intelligence by means of telegraphic or telephonic apparatus or

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cellular tower or radio waves or by means of fire-alarm signals, burglar-alarm signals, police

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signals, railway signals, or other apparatus or appliance for the transmission of intelligence, or

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shall cut, destroy, break down, or injure or shall attempt to cut, destroy, break down, or injure any

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pole, bracket, insulator or other device, apparatus, or appliance for supporting or carrying any

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electric wire, or shall do any other act interrupting or intended to interrupt the transmission of the

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electric current over any electric wire through the manual or electronic operation of a switching

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mechanism or by other means, shall be liable to indictment for it, and upon conviction shall be

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required to make restitution, and fined not exceeding three thousand dollars ($3,000) fifty

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thousand dollars ($50,000) or imprisoned not exceeding two (2) years ten (10) years, or both;

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provided, that nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize or permit the attachment,

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erection, use, operation, or maintenance of any electric wire, apparatus, pole, bracket, insulator,

 

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or other device or appliance, upon the property of any person or corporation, without the consent

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of the owner or owners; nor to prevent any properly authorized person from removing any

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electric wire, apparatus, pole, bracket, insulator, or other device or appliance for the purpose of

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permitting the passage of any building or structure, the moving of which has been duly authorized

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by any city or town council.

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     (b) Restitution, in addition to the cost for restoring operations, shall be owed to any third

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party who suffered economic harm as a result of the injuries to the electric and communication

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lines as provided for in this section.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- PUBLIC UTILITIES

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     This act would criminalize injuries to cell/radio towers and increase penalties for injury

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to electric and communication lines from three thousand dollars ($3,000) to fifty thousand dollars

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($50,000); imprisonment from two (2) years to ten (10) years, or both and require restitution for

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economic harm.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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