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2013 -- S 0413 | |
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LC01609 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
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IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
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JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013 | |
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A N A C T | |
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RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES - PUBLIC UTILITIES | |
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Introduced By: Senators Ottiano, DiPalma, and Algiere | |
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Date Introduced: February 26, 2013 | |
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Referred To: Senate Judiciary | |
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It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
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SECTION 1. Section 11-35-14 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-35 entitled "Public |
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Utilities" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
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11-35-14. Refusal to relinquish or to damage or to obstruct telephone. -- (a) Any |
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person who willfully refuses to relinquish a party line or who obstructs or damages an individual |
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telephone line or telephone set when he or she knows or should have known that the party line, |
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individual telephone line or telephone set is needed for an emergency call to a fire department or |
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police department or for medical aid or ambulance service shall be fined not less than fifty dollars |
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($50.00) nor more than three hundred dollars ($300) or be imprisoned ninety (90) days, or both, |
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or any person who secures the use of a party line by falsely stating that the line is needed for an |
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emergency call shall be fined not exceeding twenty dollars ($20.00) or be imprisoned not |
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exceeding three (3) months. If a violation of this section involves domestic violence as defined in |
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section 12-29-2, the person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to imprisonment |
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up to one year or a fine of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both. |
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(b) As used in this section: |
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(1) "Party line" means a subscriber line telephone circuit consisting of two (2) or more |
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main telephone stations connected with it, each station with a distinctive ring or telephone |
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number; and |
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(2) "Emergency" means a situation in which property or human life are in jeopardy and |
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the prompt summoning of aid is essential. |
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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LC01609 | |
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EXPLANATION | |
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BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
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OF | |
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A N A C T | |
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RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES - PUBLIC UTILITIES | |
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This act would make a violation of this section a misdemeanor if domestic violence is |
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involved. |
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This act would take effect upon passage. |
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LC01609 | |
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