Bill > HF2875

This bill extends existing criminal penalties for intentional damage or theft of telecommunications infrastructure to also cover broadband and cable services infrastructure. Specifically, the bill modifies Minnesota Statutes section 609.593, which currently criminalizes intentional damage to electrical lines, gas pipelines, and telecommunications equipment. The proposed change adds broadband services and cable services equipment to the list of protected infrastructure, meaning that people who purposefully and without authorization damage or steal components used in broadband or cable service transmission would be subject to the same criminal penalties as those who damage electrical or telecommunications infrastructure. This expansion of the law aims to provide legal protection for a broader range of communication and data transmission networks, reflecting the growing importance of these technologies in modern communication and infrastructure. The bill maintains the existing framework of criminal liability, which requires intentional action without consent from an authorized party, and allows for sentencing as specified in the statute's subsequent subdivision.

Justice

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF2875&ssn=0&y=2025