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Bill to expand penalties, scrap-metal rules and zoning relief for telecom equipment draws mixed testimony
Summary
House Bill 7,173 would add telecommunications equipment to scrap-metal statutes, expand critical-infrastructure protections and authorize zoning relief for sites at risk; wireless industry groups backed the measure while a resident raised public-health and transparency concerns about small wireless installations.
Speaker Pro Tem Kennedy introduced House Bill 7,173, telling the committee that theft and vandalism of telecommunications equipment — including copper wire, batteries and power cables — has damaged public-safety communications and other services.
The sponsor said the bill would: (1) amend scrap-metal statutes to include telecom materials; (2) update critical-infrastructure definitions to reflect contemporary telecommunications…
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