§ 11-35-14. Refusal to relinquish or to damage or to obstruct telephone.
(a) Any person who willfully refuses to relinquish a party line or who obstructs or damages an individual telephone line or telephone set when he or she knows or should have known that the party line, individual telephone line or telephone set is needed for an emergency call to a fire department or police department or for medical aid or ambulance service shall be fined not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) nor more than three hundred dollars ($300) or be imprisoned ninety (90) days, or both, or any person who secures the use of a party line by falsely stating that the line is needed for an emergency call shall be fined not exceeding twenty dollars ($20.00) or be imprisoned not exceeding three (3) months.
(b) As used in this section:
(1) “Party line” means a subscriber line telephone circuit consisting of two (2) or more main telephone stations connected with it, each station with a distinctive ring or telephone number; and
(2) “Emergency” means a situation in which property or human life are in jeopardy and the prompt summoning of aid is essential.
History of Section.P.L. 1958, ch. 145, § 1; P.L. 1997, ch. 133, § 1; P.L. 1998, ch. 346, § 1.
Structure Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 11-35 - Public Utilities
Section 11-35-2. - Badges of telegraph and telephone workers.
Section 11-35-3. - Penalty for violating §§ 11-35-1, 11-35-2.
Section 11-35-4. - Injuries to electric or communication lines.
Section 11-35-4.1. - Installation of live wires or electrical equipment.
Section 11-35-5. - Aiding, abetting, counseling, or procuring line injuries.
Section 11-35-6. - Interference with gas or electric or water meters.
Section 11-35-7. - Bypassing meters — Use of electricity, gas or water with intent to defraud.
Section 11-35-8. - Interference with electric meter.
Section 11-35-9. - Bypassing electric meter — Use of electricity with intent to defraud.
Section 11-35-10. - Excessive gas or water charges — False meters.
Section 11-35-11 - — 11-35-13. Repealed.
Section 11-35-14. - Refusal to relinquish or to damage or to obstruct telephone.
Section 11-35-15. - Notice on telephone book.
Section 11-35-16. - Wrongfully obtaining telecommunication service.
Section 11-35-17. - Crank or obscene telephone calls.
Section 11-35-18. - Bomb threats and similar false reports.
Section 11-35-19. - Prosecution for violations of §§ 11-35-17, 11-35-18.
Section 11-35-20. - Termination of service.
Section 11-35-20.1. - Wrongful termination or disruption of service.
Section 11-35-22. - Offenses in connection with authorized interception of communications.
Section 11-35-23. - Failure to report to law enforcement officers.
Section 11-35-25. - Fraudulent communication devices.
Section 11-35-26. - Automatic telephone dialing systems failing to disconnect.