Mississippi HB 945: Power lines; prohibit a person from placing objects on.

Bill Text

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To: Public Utilities
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2024

By: Representative Banks

HOUSE BILL NO. 945

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 45-15-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
PROHIBIT A PERSON FROM PLACING CLOTHING, SHOES OR ANY OTHER OBJECT 2
ON A HIGH VOLTAGE OVERHEAD LINE; TO AMEND SECTION 45-15-5, 3
MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROHIBIT A PERSON FROM ASSISTING 4
ANOTHER PERSON IN VIOLATION OF THIS ACT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 5
45-15-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROVIDES DEFINITIONS FOR 6
HIGH VOLTAGE POWER LINES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 8
SECTION 1. Section 45-15-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 9
amended as follows: 10
45-15-3. Unless the procedures have been followed as 11
provided by Sections 45-15-9 and 45-15-11, Mississippi Code of 12
1972, to deter contact with high voltage overhead lines: 13
(a) No person shall, individually or through an agent 14
or employee, perform or require any other person to perform any 15
function or activity upon any land, building, highway or other 16
premises if at any time during the performance of that function or 17
activity the person performing the function or activity could be 18
reasonably expected to move or be placed within ten (10) feet of 19
any high voltage overhead line or if any equipment or part of any 20

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tool or material used by the person could be reasonably expected 21
to move or be placed within ten (10) feet of any high voltage 22
overhead line during the performance of any function or activity. 23
(b) No person shall, individually or through an agent 24
or employee, operate or bring any mechanical equipment or hoisting 25
equipment or any other equipment or part of any tool or material 26
within ten (10) feet of any high voltage overhead line. 27
(c) No person shall place clothing, shoes or any other 28
object on any high voltage overhead line. 29
( * * *d) The provisions of this section shall not 30
apply to persons lawfully occupying the land where the line is 31
located and engaged in the regular and ordinary functions and 32
activities of farming, ranching or other agricultural pursuits. 33
SECTION 2. Section 45-15-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 34
amended as follows: 35
45-15-5. (1) No person shall permit any employee to do any 36
of the things prohibited in Section 45-15-3. 37
(2) No person shall assist another person to perform any act 38
prohibited by Section 45-15-3. 39
SECTION 3. Section 45-15-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 40
brought forward as follows: 41
45-15-1. The following words and phrases, when used in this 42
chapter, shall, for the purposes of this chapter, have the 43
meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section, except in 44

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those instances, if any, where the context clearly indicates a 45
different meaning: 46
(a) "High voltage" means a voltage in excess of six 47
hundred (600) volts between conductors or from any conductor to 48
ground. 49
(b) "Overhead lines" mean all bare or insulated 50
electrical conductors installed above the ground. 51
(c) "Person" means a natural person, firm, 52
copartnership, association, corporation or governmental entity. 53
(d) "Authorized person" means: 54
(i) An employee or agent of an electric utility 55
which generates, transmits or delivers electricity. 56
(ii) An employee or agent of a utility which 57
provides and whose work relates to communication services or 58
state, county or municipal agencies which have authorized circuit 59
construction on or near the poles or structures of a utility. 60
(iii) An employee or agent of an industrial plant 61
whose work relates to the electrical system of the industrial 62
plant. 63
(iv) An employee or agent of a cable television or 64
communication services company or an employee of a contractor of a 65
cable television or communication services company if specifically 66
authorized by the owner of the poles to make cable television or 67
communication services attachments. 68

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ST: Power lines; prohibit a person from placing
objects on.
(v) An employee or agent of a rail transportation 69
company whose work relates to the electrical systems of the rail 70
transportation company. 71
(vi) An employee or agent of a state, county or 72
municipal electric utility or agency which has or whose work 73
relates to overhead electrical lines, circuit construction or 74
conductors on poles or structures of any type. 75
(e) "Electric utility" means any person engaged in the 76
generation, transmission or distribution of electricity. 77
(f) "Warning sign" means a weather-resistant sign of 78
not less than seven (7) inches by ten (10) inches reading as 79
follows: "DANGER-UNLAWFUL TO OPERATE THIS EQUIP