What's happening
This bill expands third degree criminal mischief to include damaging certain parts of a car's security or anti-theft systems.
Why it matters
Targets a growing form of vehicle-related crime by specifically making it a felony to damage security, anti-theft, or recovery features (like alarms, electronic homing devices, airbags, steering mechanisms, or ignition systems) in someone else’s car.
Could deter thieves and vandals from disabling car security systems, potentially reducing overall rates of car theft and break-ins in New York.
Expands legal protection for vehicle owners, allowing prosecutors to bring more serious charges against those who tamper with or destroy parts of a car that are essential for its security or recovery.
May have implications for car insurance claims, as damage to these components would now fall under a felony statute, potentially affecting how such incidents are reported and prosecuted.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Toughen Car Vandalism Penalties
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3701
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 30, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. CYMBROWITZ, DenDEKKER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to the crime of criminal mischief in the third degree
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 145.05 of the penal law, as amended by chapter 276 of the laws of 2003, is amended to read as follows: § 145.05 Criminal mischief in the third degree.
A person is guilty of criminal mischief in the third degree when, with intent to damage property of another person, and having no right to do so nor any reasonable ground to believe that he or she has such right, he or she:
1. damages the motor vehicle of another person, by breaking into such vehicle when it is locked with the intent of stealing property, and within the previous ten year period, has been convicted three or more times, in separate criminal transactions for which sentence was imposed on separate occasions, of criminal mischief in the fourth degree as defined in section 145.00, criminal mischief in the third degree as defined in this section, criminal mischief in the second degree as defined in section 145.10, or criminal mischief in the first degree as defined in section 145.12 of this article; or
2. damages property of another person in an amount exceeding two hundred fifty dollars[.]; or
3. damages property of another person consisting of any part of a lock, alarm or security device, anti-theft and recovery device consisting of an electronic homing device, steering mechanism, dashboard, radio, airbag, or ignition system of a motor vehicle, as defined in section one hundred twenty-five of the vehicle and traffic law.
Criminal mischief in the third degree is a class E felony.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06459-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.