Amends TCA Section 39-14-411.

Under present law, it is a Class E felony offense for a person to knowingly tap, cut, burn, break down, injure, destroy, or otherwise interrupt or interfere with the current, lines, cables, poles, towers, fixtures or appliances utilized to furnish service to the general public by any telephone or telegraph company, or electric light or power company engaged in furnishing communication, light, heat or power by electricity; or in any way to injure, remove, destroy or interfere with any gas fixtures or appliances. Also, under present law, it is a criminal offense, generally classified in the same manner as theft based on the value of the property damaged so long as no person is placed in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury, for a person to knowingly destroy or interfere with any property utilized by a railroad company to furnish service to the general public.<br /> <br /> This bill adds that it is a Class E felony offense for any unauthorized person, group, company, or organization to knowingly injure, remove, destroy, break down, or otherwise interrupt or interfere with a pipeline, pumping station, terminal, equipment, or facility, whether in operation, idle, or under construction, that transports, stores, pumps, or distributes crude or refined liquid petroleum products or natural gas.<br /> <br /> This bill also adds that it is a Class E felony offense for a person, group, company, or other organization to cause, aid, or coerce another person, group, company, or organization to engage in any of the conduct described above concerning vandalism of utility property.<br /> <br /> ON MARCH 18, 2019, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 264, AS AMENDED.<br /> <br /> AMENDMENT #1 rewrites this bill and replaces the present law offense described in the Bill Summary with the new offense "critical infrastructure vandalism", which a person commits by knowingly destroying, injuring, interrupting, or interfering with critical infrastructure or its operation. This amendment defines "critical infrastructure" to include, but not be limited to, the infrastructure of the following services to the general public:<br /> <br /> (1) Telephone, telegraph, television, internet, or other telecommunication services;<br /> (2) Electric, heat, natural gas, or other power or energy services;<br /> (3) The distribution of crude or refined liquid petroleum products or natural gas, and the pipelines, pumping stations, terminals, and equipment necessary for operation of the facility;<br /> (4) Water, wastewater, or sewer services; and<br /> (5) Railroads and other transportation services.<br /> <br /> For purposes of determining whether an offense has occurred, it will not matter whether the critical infrastructure is in operation, idle, or under construction.<br /> <br /> Critical infrastructure vandalism will be punished in the same manner as theft depending on the value of the property affected. In no event will critical infrastructure vandalism be less than a Class E felony.<br /> <br />