Introduced By: Representatives Burlingame, Kelley, Barone, Coderre and Carpenter
Date Introduced : February 3, 1998
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:
11-35-14. Refusal to relinquish or to damage or to obstruct
telephone. -- (a) Any person who wilfully refuses to relinquish
a party line or who obstructs or damages an individual telephone
line or telephone set when {DEL informed that DEL} {ADD he/she
knows or should have known that ADD} such a party line, individual
telephone line or telephone set 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.
