Eartha Jan Melzer of The Michigan Messenger reported on 3/9/10:

“One week after three Detroit children died in a home with an illegal electricity connection, the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee has scheduled a hearing on legislation that would create new penalties for people who illegally hook up gas or electric service or tamper with meters.”  (For more detail see http://michiganmessenger.com/35608/senate-committee-considers-new-penalties-for-energy-theft)

“The proposed law states:

“ A person who sells or transfers or attempts to sell of transfer the product of service of an electric provider or natural gas provider to any other person, knowing or having reason to know that the product or service was obtained illegally, is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 5 years or a fine of not more than $10,000, or both.”

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