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Committee clarifies theft statute to include public lighting, EV chargers and camera systems
Summary
Conference committee inserted language intended to ensure theft statutes clearly cover copper or wire theft from public infrastructure including street lights, electric vehicle chargers, traffic-control cameras and electronic signs; committee adopted the amendment by voice vote.
The House and Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Conference Committee on May 14 adopted an amendment (A32) to clarify that equipment or fixtures serving the public — including street lighting systems, electric vehicle charging stations, electronic traffic-control signals, camera systems and electronic warning or notice signs — are covered under the theft-related provision being considered.
Chair Lats, who presented the amendment language, said the change was intended to make explicit that copper wire and similar components stolen from street lights and public infrastructure are covered by the statute. "There was a concern that there was a lack of clarity in the statute ... to make sure that copper wire that was, stolen out of street lights, for example, would be covered, in the crime. So, we believe that this language ... more clearly" accomplishes that purpose, he said.
A committee member noted the A32 document in the packet did not list camera systems explicitly, and Lats read revised language during the meeting that included traffic-control camera systems; the chair clarified the intent to include cameras even if the paper A32 did not reflect that exact wording. The committee adopted the senate language with the inserted A32 language by voice vote.
The transcript does not record additional debate on penalties, implementation timelines, or interactions with local ordinances. No roll-call vote was recorded in the meeting transcript.
