Don't Criminalize Protest to Protect Corporate Infrastructure

I urge you to oppose SB903 (Henderson) and HB2383 (Simmons) because these bills disproportionately criminalize protest and dissent while protecting corporate interests over community rights and environmental safety. The bills expand the definition of "critical infrastructure facility" to include a vast range of industrial sites, from pipelines to broadband networks. While protecting infrastructure is important, this legislation is designed to shield industries like fossil fuels and telecommunications from public accountability. By creating severe new felony penalties for trespass and property damage, the bills will chill legitimate protest and direct action against projects that threaten public health and the climate. The creation of a new crime for "unauthorized possession" of common materials like copper or fiber-optic cable is dangerously broad. It will likely be used to target vulnerable populations, including people experiencing homelessness or poverty who collect scrap metal, while exempting powerful corporate entities. This risks further criminalizing economic necessity and increasing discriminatory policing. Our laws should address root causes, not escalate punitive measures. Instead of creating new felonies, we should invest in community oversight of hazardous facilities, strengthen environmental regulations, and create economic opportunities that reduce the need for scrap collection. True security comes from democratic transparency and holding polluting industries accountable, not from suppressing dissent with the threat of lengthy prison sentences and excessive restitution. These bills represent a dangerous step toward criminalizing advocacy and entrench the power of corporations at the expense of the people's right to assemble and seek a healthier, more just future. I urge you to reject it.