It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows

SECTION 1. Section 11-35-14 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-35 entitled "Public Utilities" is hereby amended to read as follows:

{DEL 11-35-14. Refusal to relinquish telephone. -- DEL} {ADD 11-35-14. Refusal to relinquish or to damage or to obstruct telephone. -- ADD} (a) Any person who wilfully refuses to relinquish a party line {ADD or who obstructs or damages an individual telephone line or telephone set ADD} when informed that such {ADD a party ADD} line{ADD , individual telephone line or telephone set ADD} is needed for an emergency call to a fire department or police department or for medical aid or ambulance service shall be fined not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) nor more than three hundred dollars ($300) or be imprisoned ninety (90) days, or both, or any person who secures the use of a party line by falsely stating that such line is needed for an emergency call shall be fined not exceeding twenty dollars ($20.00) or be imprisoned not exceeding three (3) months.

(b) As used in this section, "party line" means a subscriber line telephone circuit consisting of two (2) or more main telephone stations connected therewith, each station with a distinctive ring or telephone number, and "emergency" means a situation in which property or human life are in jeopardy and the prompt summoning of aid is essential.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.