A bill for an act relating to critical infrastructure sabotage, and making penalties applicable.

2025-2026 Regular Session

Criminalizes overt sabotage of critical telecom, information, cable, and broadband infrastructure as a class B felony, up to 25 years and fines $85,000–$100,000.

Committee report approving bill, renumbered as SF 577.

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Overview

SSB 1148 is a bill introduced on February 18, 2025, addressing sabotage of critical infrastructure, with a focus on telecommunications, information, cable, and broadband systems. The bill classifies certain acts as a felony offense and sets substantial penalties. It progressed through a Senate subcommittee and committee, and was renumbered for floor consideration as SF 577.

Purpose and intent

Establishes a criminal offense for overt, intentional sabotage of critical infrastructure that provides telecommunications, information, or cable services, including broadband generation, transmission, or delivery systems.

Conveys that such sabotage, when causing or threatening a substantial, widespread interruption or impairment of a fundamental service, constitutes a severe felony with significant penalties.

Key provisions

Critical infrastructure definition (added to 716.11(1)(c)):

Includes: a telecommunications service, information service, or cable service as defined in 47 U.S.C. §153, and a broadband generation, transmission, or delivery system.

Offense: Critical infrastructure sabotage

Elements:
The act is overt, intentional, and without authorization.
The actor causes, or has the means to cause, a substantial and widespread interruption or impairment of a fundamental service provided by critical infrastructure.
The act is committed in substantial furtherance of causing that disruption.

Classification and penalties:

Offense classified as a class “B” felony.
Punishment: confinement for up to 25 years.
Fine: not less than $85,000 and not more than $100,000.

Explanatory note (as introduced): The bill relates to critical infrastructure sabotage and explicitly includes certain communications and broadband services within the scope of “critical infrastructure.”

Who and what is affected

Persons who knowingly sabotage or threaten to sabotage critical infrastructure in the specified sectors (telecommunications, information, cable, and broadband-related systems).

Entities operating or owning such critical infrastructure could be affected by the enhanced penalties and compliance considerations.

The bill’s reach is tied to activities affecting “fundamental” services provided by defined critical infrastructure.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduced: February 18, 2025; referred to Commerce.

Subcommittee: February 18, 2025 (De Witt, Sweeney, Wahls).

Subcommittee action: February 24, 2025 meeting; February 27, 2025 anticipated meeting.

Subcommittee outcome: Recommended amendment and passage (as of February 27–March 3, 2025 timeline).

Committee action: March 3–6, 2025; Committee report approved, renumbered as SF 577.

Current status: Approved by committee and renumbered for floor consideration as SF 577.

Notes

The text provided focuses on the amendment to 716.11(1)(c) and the specific offense/penalties. No effective-date details are shown in the excerpt.

The bill aligns with broader policy goals of protecting essential communications and broadband infrastructure by imposing substantial criminal penalties for deliberate sabotage.

Bill