House Bill hb0371

    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                 HB 371

        By Representatives Spratt, Kendrick, Stansel, Alexander,
    Kyle, Harrington, Miller, Sorensen, Bense, Goodlette,
    Maygarden, Jennings, Flanagan and Smith




  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to electric utility service

  3         interruptions; creating s. 768.138, F.S.;

  4         providing electric utilities with an absolute

  5         defense in certain actions for certain law

  6         enforcement assistance activities; providing an

  7         effective date.

  8

  9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

10

11         Section 1.  Section 768.138, Florida Statutes, is

12  created to read:

13         768.138  Interruption of electric utility service by

14  order of law enforcement; immunity.--The good faith compliance

15  by an electric utility, as defined in s. 366.02, or the

16  utility's personnel, to a law enforcement order to interrupt

17  or disconnect electric service to a location for the purpose

18  of aiding law enforcement personnel in the performance of

19  their duties shall constitute an absolute defense for the

20  electric utility and its personnel to any civil, criminal, or

21  administrative action arising out of such interruption or

22  disconnection.

23         Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

24  law.

25

26            *****************************************

27                          HOUSE SUMMARY

28
      Provides civil, criminal, and administrative immunity to
29    an electric utility or utility personnel that disconnects
      or interrupts electric service to assist law enforcement
30    personnel in enforcement actions.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.