SLS 25RS-233 ORIGINAL
2025 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 22
BY SENATOR HODGES
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
THEFT. Creates the crime of theft of utility property. (8/1/25)
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 14:67.24, relative to theft; to create the crime of theft of utility property; to
3 provide relative to theft of property owned by a utility provider; to provide
4 definitions and penalties; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 14:67.24 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
7 ยง67.24. Theft of utility property
8 A. Theft of utility property is the misappropriation or taking of any
9 utility property, without the consent of the owner, with the intent to deprive the
10 owner permanently of whatever was taken.
11 B. As used in this Section:
12 (1) "Utility" means any person or entity providing to the public gas,
13 electricity, water, sewer, telephone, radio, railway, cable and broadcast
14 television, video, fiber optic, or internet services.
15 (2) "Utility property" means any component or material, installed or
16 uninstalled, which is reasonably necessary to provide utility services, including
17 but not limited to any copper, wire, pole, facility, machinery, tool, equipment,
Page 1 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 22
SLS 25RS-233 ORIGINAL
1 cable, insulator, switch, signal, duct, fiber optic cable, conduit, plan, work,
2 system, substation, transmission and distribution structure, line, lighting
3 fixture, generating plant, equipment, pipe, main, transformer, underground
4 line, gas compressor, meter, or any other building or structure or part of a
5 structure that a utility uses in the production or use of its services.
6 C.(1) Whoever commits the crime of theft of utility property shall be
7 fined not less than two thousand dollars nor more than five thousand dollars,
8 or imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not less than two years nor more
9 than five years, or both.
10 (2) Whoever commits the crime of theft of utility property that
11 necessitates an interruption of utility service to the public in order to make
12 repairs or otherwise replace the stolen utility property shall be fined not less
13 than five thousand dollars nor more than ten thousand dollars, or imprisoned,
14 with or without hard labor, for not less than five years nor more than ten years,
15 or both.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Senate Legislative Services.
The keyword, summary, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof
or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
DIGEST
SB 22 Original 2025 Regular Session Hodges
Proposed law creates the crime of theft of utility property and makes it a crime to
misappropriate or take any utility property belonging to another, without the consent of the
owner, with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of whatever was taken.
Proposed law provides definitions relative to proposed law.
Proposed law provides that a person convicted of theft of utility property that does not
necessitate an interruption of utility service to the public will be fined not less than $2,000
nor more than $5,000, or imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not less than two years
nor more than five years, or both.
Proposed law provides that a person convicted of theft of utility property that necessitates
an interruption of utility service to the public will be fined not less than $5,000 nor more
than $10,000, or imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not less than five years nor more
than 10 years, or both.
Effective August 1, 2025.
(Adds R.S. 14:67.24)
Page 2 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.