Florida Senate - 2008 SB 1384
By Senator Dean
3-02959-08 20081384__
1
A bill to be entitled
2
An act relating to the theft of copper or other nonferrous
3
metals; creating s. 812.145, F.S.; providing definitions;
4
providing that it is a felony of the first degree to
5
knowingly and intentionally take copper or other
6
nonferrous metal from a utility or communications services
7
provider, thereby causing damage to the facilities of a
8
utility or communications services provider or
9
interrupting or interfering with utility or communications
10
services; providing criminal penalties; providing an
11
effective date.
12
13
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
14
15
Section 1. Section 812.145, Florida Statutes, is created to
16
read:
17
812.145 Theft of copper or other nonferrous metals.--
18
(1) As used in this section, the term:
19
(a) "Copper or other nonferrous metals" means metals not
20
containing significant quantities of iron or steel, including,
21
without limitation, copper, copper alloy, copper utility or
22
communications service wire, brass, aluminum, bronze, lead, zinc,
23
nickel, and alloys thereof.
24
(b) "Communications services" means the transmission,
25
conveyance, or routing of voice, data, audio, video, or any other
26
information or signals, including cable services, to a point, or
27
between or among points, by or through any electronic, radio,
28
satellite, cable, optical, microwave, or other medium or method
29
now in existence or hereafter devised, regardless of the protocol
30
used for such transmission or conveyance. The term includes such
31
transmission, conveyance, or routing in which computer processing
32
applications are used to act on the form, code, or protocol of
33
the content for purposes of transmission, conveyance, or routing
34
without regard to whether such service is referred to as voice-
35
over-Internet-protocol services or is classified by the Federal
36
Communications Commission as enhanced or value-added.
37
(c) "Communications services provider" includes any person,
38
firm, corporation, or political subdivision, whether private,
39
municipal, county, or cooperative, which is engaged in the sale,
40
generation, provision, or delivery of communications services.
41
(d) "Utility service" means electricity for light, heat, or
42
power and natural or manufactured gas for light, heat, or power,
43
including the transportation, delivery, transmission, and
44
distribution of electricity or natural or manufactured gas.
45
(e) "Utility" has the same meaning as in s. 812.14.
46
(2) A person who knowingly and intentionally takes copper
47
or other nonferrous metals from a utility or communications
48
services provider, thereby causing damage to the facilities of a
49
utility or communications services provider, interrupting or
50
interfering with communications services or utility service, or
51
interfering with the ability of a utility or communications
52
services provider to provide service, commits a felony of the
54
or s. 775.084.
55
Section 2. This act shall take effect October 1, 2008.
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.