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2/4/2026
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Kennedy bill would protect telecommunications equipment from theft and vandalism
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STATE HOUSE — To address an uptick in vandalism and theft of broadband equipment, House Speaker Pro Tempore Brian Patrick Kennedy has introduced legislation that would add telecommunications infrastructure to a law protecting electric and communications lines from tampering.
“We’ve seen a significant increase in the theft of copper and engineering equipment from these sites,” said Representative Kennedy (D-Dist. 38, Hopkinton, Westerly). “Perpetrators steal batteries and power cables from wireless towers and small cell sites, cut copper and other communication lines, and willfully and intentionally destroy wireless sites and fiber optic lines.”
The bill (2026-H 7173) would add telecommunications materials and equipment to the state’s utilities and scrap metal laws and improve providers’ ability to strengthen protective security at telecommunications sites.
Speaker Pro Tempore Kennedy attended a presentation on the issue at a September event sponsored by the National Conference of State Legislatures and returned determined to address the issue of vandalism in Rhode Island.
The Rhode Island Department of Transportation is facing a costly and dangerous challenge after thieves embezzled roughly 11 miles of electrical wire from highways around the state, leaving long stretches of roads without highway lighting. Thieves accessed manhole covers to access and steal underground electrical wire during November and December 2025, and the cost to replace the wiring materials is estimated at over $470,000, not including the labor to reinstall it.
“The rising value of copper has provided incentive to thieves who target the infrastructure of multiple industries,” said Kennedy. “This can lead to disruption of 911 systems and public safety communications, which can delay emergency response times and the ability of residents to reach 911 operators. Health care networks and our transportation systems — airports, railways and highways — depend on connectivity.”
Jeremy Crandall, a representative of CTIA, the trade association for the wireless communications industry, testified in favor of the legislation Tuesday, telling the House Committee on Corporations, “The impacts of these incidents are broad-ranging and significant. Our health care networks heavily depend on broadband connectivity for patient care, access to medical records, medical devices and telemedicine services. In recent years, all of these sectors and many others have been directly impacted by telecommunications and broadband vandalism, leading to both economic losses and increased risks to public health and safety.”
For more information, contact:
Daniel Trafford, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401)222-1922
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