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House panel approves bill aimed at curbing copper theft from critical infrastructure
Summary
The House Judiciary Committee on Thursday approved Senate Bill 64, a copper-theft prevention measure that adds certain electrical highway infrastructure to the definition of key infrastructure assets; sponsors said the measure targets rising thefts that damage fiber and other utilities.
The House Judiciary Committee on Thursday voted to pass Senate Bill 64 as amended, a measure sponsors described as aimed at preventing copper theft from communications and other critical infrastructure across the commonwealth.
Committee members approved the substitute and then passed the bill without recorded opposition. Senator Brandon Storm, who presented the bill, said the measure focuses on “key infrastructure assets in the Commonwealth.”
Proponents described the problem as evolving beyond street-level scrap theft. A witness who spoke in support of the bill said Charter Communications’ broadband service is fiber-based, not copper-based, but that thieves seeking copper have damaged fiber plant when cutting cable. “When these bad actors are in search of copper, oftentimes, they are cutting our fiber services, damaging our plant,” the witness said.
Senator Storm and other supporters said the committee substitute added “electrical highway infrastructure” to the bill’s definition of key infrastructure assets. Representative Kulkarni asked for clarification on that change; sponsors said the addition was to ensure certain electrical components are covered by the enhanced protections.
The committee conducted a roll call after discussion. The clerk reported that the bill passed the committee “with 14 yes votes and no no votes,” and the chair declared the bill passed.
The bill will now proceed to the full House for further consideration. The committee record shows the committee adopted the substitute and voted to pass the amended bill; no amendments or dissenting votes were recorded in the committee minutes.
