What's happening
This bill expands second-degree forgery to include insurance documents and makes forging ten or more instruments first-degree forgery.
Why it matters
Expands criminal liability for forgery to include insurance documents. making it a felony to forge certificates of insurance or insurance ID cards, which are commonly required for vehicle registration and proof of coverage.
Targets large-scale forgery operations. by elevating the act of forging ten or more instruments at once to first-degree forgery, subjecting offenders to harsher penalties typically reserved for more serious forgery crimes.
Aims to deter insurance fraud and related crimes. by specifically referencing insurance documents, which are frequent targets for fraud that can have public safety and financial repercussions for individuals and businesses.
Reflects a policy shift toward stricter enforcement. against document fraud, particularly in contexts (like insurance) where forged documents can facilitate broader criminal activity or undermine regulatory systems.
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Who cares
Auto insurers
The bill would explicitly include forgery of certificates of insurance and insurance identification cards defined in the Vehicle and Traffic Law in second-degree forgery, a class D felony.
Prosecutors and law enforcement
The bill would make falsely making, completing or altering ten or more written instruments with intent to defraud, deceive or injure another first-degree forgery, a class C felony.
Criminal defense attorneys and people accused of forgery
The bill would expand felony forgery provisions to expressly cover specified insurance documents and extend first-degree forgery to cases involving ten or more written instruments.
Headline styles
Crack Down on Insurance Forgery
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Crack Down on Insurance Forgery
In Senate Committee · Codes · Sponsor David Carlucci
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2072
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 22, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ZEBROWSKI, GALEF, COLTON, GUNTHER, COOK, JAFFEE, ORTIZ -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ABBATE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to including the forgery of a certificate of insurance or an insurance identification card within the offense of forgery in the second degree and the forgery of ten or more instruments with the offense of forgery in the first degree
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 5 of section 170.10 of the penal law is amended and a new subdivision 6 is added to read as follows:
5. A prescription of a duly licensed physician or other person authorized to issue the same for any drug or any instrument or device used in the taking or administering of drugs for which a prescription is required by law[.]; or
6. A certificate of insurance or an insurance identification card, as defined in section three hundred eleven of the vehicle and traffic law.
§ 2. Section 170.15 of the penal law is amended to read as follows: § 170.15 Forgery in the first degree.
A person is guilty of forgery in the first degree when, with intent to defraud, deceive or injure another, he or she falsely makes, completes or alters [a]:
1. Ten or more written instruments; or
2. A written instrument which is or purports to be, or which is calculated to become or to represent if completed:
[1.] (a) Part of an issue of money, stamps, securities or other valuable instruments issued by a government or governmental instrumentality; or
[2.] (b) Part of an issue of stock, bonds or other instruments representing interests in or claims against a corporate or other organization or its property.
Forgery in the first degree is a class C felony.
§ 3. 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.
LBD06162-01-9
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.