Applies federal penalties to stealing or damaging internet and phone cables.
This bill would make it explicitly illegal to steal or damage copper, fiber, or coaxial cables used for internet and phone services. It aims to protect important communication infrastructure for telecommunications companies and could help prevent service disruptions for customers. People found guilty of these actions would face fines and up to 10 years in prison.
Today, damaging communication lines is generally unlawful. If this bill becomes law, it would explicitly make it unlawful to injure, destroy, or steal specific copper, fiber, or coaxial cables used for internet and phone services. The penalties for these actions would remain a fine, up to 10 years in prison, or both. However, the law would be more specific about the types of cables and actions covered, while also excluding customer-owned equipment.
S 5617 · 119th Congress · AI Summary by gemini-2.5-flash · 8/10
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