What's happening
This bill makes it a class A misdemeanor to knowingly make a false statement to any official of a municipal government agency in New York.
Why it matters
Expands criminal liability. This bill makes it a crime (class A misdemeanor) to knowingly provide false information not just to state agencies, but to any official of a municipal government agency, such as city or town employees, potentially affecting a wide range of local government interactions.
Applies to both words and actions. The law covers not only written or spoken lies but also false statements made through actions, broadening the scope of what could be considered illegal deception in dealings with local government officials.
Could impact everyday residents and businesses. Anyone interacting with municipal agencies—whether applying for permits, licenses, benefits, or engaging with code enforcement—would face criminal penalties for knowingly providing false information, raising the stakes for accuracy and honesty in local government processes.
May serve as a deterrent and accountability tool. By establishing criminal penalties, the law aims to deter individuals from misleading municipal officials, potentially improving the integrity and reliability of information used for local government decision-making.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Punish Lying to City Officials
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1514
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 15, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ORTIZ -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to making a false statement to an official of a municipal agency
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The penal law is amended by adding a new section 240.49 to read as follows: § 240.49 Making a false statement to an official of a municipal govern-
ment agency.
A person is guilty of making a false statement to an official of a municipal government agency when he or she, by words or action, knowingly makes a false statement to any official of a municipal government agency in the state of New York.
Making a false statement to an official of a municipal government agency is a class A misdemeanor.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of November 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.
LBD05827-01-9
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.