Beshear signs Senate Bill 64, creating harsher penalties for copper wire thefts

WNKY Staff,
Photo Resize 2024 01 12t154550639
FILE - Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear speaks to a joint session of the state Legislature to deliver his State of the Commonwealth address in the House chambers of the state Capitol, Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024, in Frankfort, Ky. Kentucky's status as a pacesetter in college enrollment gains was touted by the governor and higher education leaders Thursday, Jan. 11, as they made a pitch for more funding to continue the momentum. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File)

FRANKFORT, Ky. – A piece of legislation has been signed into law that will create harsher penalties for copper wire thefts in Kentucky.

According to the Kentucky General Assembly website, Gov. Andy Beshear signed Senate Bill 64 into law on Wednesday, March 19.

The bill includes an amendment to include cable, telephone and broadband facilities, as well as another amendment to include damaging or taking possession of a key infrastructure asset.

This follows concerns of copper wire thefts in Kentucky, which can lead to communication outages and damage community infrastructures.

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