THEFT/SALE OF COPPER WIRING S.B. 1509 & 1510: COMMITTEE SUMMARY
Senate Bills 1509 and 1510 (as introduced 11-28-06)
Sponsor: Senator Buzz Thomas
Committee: Judiciary
Date Completed: 12-5-06
CONTENT
Senate Bill 1509 would amend the Michigan Penal Code to prescribe a criminal penalty for stealing copper wiring or offering for sale copper wiring belonging to another person without that person's consent. A violation would be a felony punishable by up to two years' imprisonment, a maximum fine of $5,000, or both.
Senate Bill 1510 would amend the Code of Criminal Procedure to include the proposed felony in the sentencing guidelines. Larceny or resale of copper wiring would be a Class G property felony with a statutory maximum sentence of two years' imprisonment. The bill is tie-barred to Senate Bill 1509.
Proposed MCL 750.357c (S.B. 1509) Legislative Analyst: Patrick Affholter
MCL 777.16r (S.B. 1510)
FISCAL IMPACT
The bills would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on State and local government. There are no data to indicate how many offenders would be convicted of the proposed offense. An offender accused of the proposed offense, if not charged under the bills, could be charged with larceny under Section 356 of the Penal Code or Section 360 of the Penal Code, and depending on the value of the copper wiring, would receive a lower or higher minimum and maximum sentence than what is provided for in the bills. An offender convicted of the Class G offense under the bills would receive a sentencing guidelines minimum sentence range of 0-3 months to 7-23 months. Local governments would incur the costs of incarceration in local facilities, which vary by county. The State would incur the cost of felony probation at an annual average cost of $2,000, as well as the cost of incarceration in a State facility at an average annual cost of $31,000. Additional penal fine revenue would benefit public libraries.
Fiscal Analyst: Lindsay Hollander
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb1509&1510/0506