Maryland Passes Law to Combat Broadband Infrastructure Theft

A new state mandate requiring 30-day scrap metal holds aims to reduce infrastructure damage and frequent service outages.

Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Telecommunications

Maryland Passes Law to Combat Broadband Infrastructure Theft

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Should states impose stricter criminal penalties to curb the destruction of local internet infrastructure?

Maryland recently enacted legislation to curb telecommunications infrastructure vandalism by imposing stricter penalties and regulating scrap metal sales. The law, which mandates a 30-day hold on scrap metal transactions, follows a national trend of states attempting to mitigate frequent broadband service disruptions.

Why it matters

Infrastructure vandalism causes recurring internet outages and drives up broadband costs for consumers by forcing expensive, complex repairs. This legislation attempts to address the economic strain caused by the average of more than 27 vandalism incidents occurring daily.

The legislation establishes a $500 maximum fine and a six-month jail sentence for infrastructure tampering. These measures address the societal cost of vandalism, estimated between $294 million and $1.47 billion annually.

The players

NCTA

The trade association for the cable and broadband industry that tracks infrastructure policy and legislative trends.

The details

Thieves typically cut telecommunications lines to extract copper, damaging the complex fiber infrastructure buried within. Technicians must repair these lines by painstakingly fusing individual glass fibers together, a process made more difficult by the fact that a single fiber line can contain up to 200 of these delicate strands. The new law seeks to disrupt this black market by requiring a 30-day holding period for all scrap metal resales, making it harder to monetize stolen cabling.

April 2025: Introduction of federal bill H.R. 2784.
First half 2026: Thirteen states enacted new broadband vandalism laws.
June 2026: NCTA report release on broadband vandalism legislation.
September 2026: Introduction of federal bill S. 5617.
October 2026: Maryland law went into effect.

The Tech Race

Maryland's action aligns with the 13 states that passed similar broadband protections in early 2026 to combat rising vandalism. It follows a stalled federal trajectory, as lawmakers continue to debate the proposed Stopping the Theft and Destruction of Broadband Act of 2025.

Residents may see a reduction in service outages as the 30-day scrap metal hold aims to deter thieves from cutting lines for copper. While this law is now in effect, the broader impact on local broadband bills will depend on the sustained success of these enforcement measures.

The takeaway

Maryland has now aligned with a growing national movement to treat broadband fiber and copper theft as a critical infrastructure crime. Readers should monitor whether the upcoming federal Combating Critical Infrastructure Vandalism Act of 2026 gains traction in the next legislative cycle.