What's happening
This bill creates new home invasion crimes with increased penalties and classifies them as violent felonies in New York State law.
Why it matters
Broadens legal tools against home invasions. By creating specific "home invasion" offenses tied to existing burglary laws but requiring a "violent act," the bill allows prosecutors to charge offenders with more serious crimes, potentially leading to longer sentences and greater deterrence.
Elevates the seriousness of violent home break-ins. Classifying home invasions as violent felonies in three degrees (first, second, third) not only increases penalties but may also affect parole eligibility, bail decisions, and future sentencing for repeat offenses.
Addresses public safety concerns. The explicit recognition of home invasions as distinct and more severe acts than standard burglary reflects a legislative response to concerns about personal safety, especially regarding crimes committed where people live.
Potential impact on criminal justice outcomes. By including these offenses in the violent felony category, the bill could lead to higher incarceration rates for those convicted, and may influence plea bargaining, judicial discretion, and resource allocation within the criminal justice system.
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Create Home Invasion Felonies
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3525
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 29, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. LENTOL, PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to establishing the crime of home invasion
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 three new sections 140.45, 140.50 and 140.55 to read as follows: § 140.45 Home invasion in the third degree.
A person is guilty of home invasion in the third degree when he or she commits the crime of burglary in the third degree and also commits a violent act during the commission of such crime.
Home invasion in the third degree is a class D felony. § 140.50 Home invasion in the second degree.
A person is guilty of home invasion in the second degree when he or she commits the crime of burglary in the second degree and also commits a violent act during the commission of such crime.
Home invasion in the second degree is a class C felony. § 140.55 Home invasion in the first degree.
A person is guilty of home invasion in the first degree when he or she commits the crime of burglary in the first degree and also commits a violent act during the commission of such crime.
Home invasion in the first degree is a class B felony.
§ 2. Subdivision 1 of section 70.02 of the penal law, as separately amended by chapters 764 and 765 of the laws of 2005, paragraph (a) as amended by chapter 189 of the laws of 2018, paragraph (b) as amended by chapter 476 of the laws of 2018, paragraph (c) as amended by chapter 368 of the laws of 2015, and paragraph (d) as amended by chapter 7 of the laws of 2007, is amended to read as follows:
1. Definition of a violent felony offense. A violent felony offense is a class B violent felony offense, a class C violent felony offense, a
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04642-02-9
A. 3525 2
class D violent felony offense, or a class E violent felony offense, defined as follows:
(a) Class B violent felony offenses: an attempt to commit the class A-I felonies of murder in the second degree as defined in section 125.25, kidnapping in the first degree as defined in section 135.25, and arson in the first degree as defined in section 150.20; manslaughter in the first degree as defined in section 125.20, aggravated manslaughter in the first degree as defined in section 125.22, rape in the first degree as defined in section 130.35, criminal sexual act in the first degree as defined in section 130.50, aggravated sexual abuse in the first degree as defined in section 130.70, course of sexual conduct against a child in the first degree as defined in section 130.75; assault in the first degree as defined in section 120.10, kidnapping in the second degree as defined in section 135.20, burglary in the first degree as defined in section 140.30, home invasion in the first degree as defined in section 140.55, arson in the second degree as defined in section 150.15, robbery in the first degree as defined in section 160.15, sex trafficking as defined in paragraphs (a) and (b) of subdivision five of section 230.34, sex trafficking of a child as defined in section 230.34-a, incest in the first degree as defined in section 255.27, criminal possession of a weapon in the first degree as defined in section 265.04, criminal use of a firearm in the first degree as defined in section 265.09, criminal sale of a firearm in the first degree as defined in section 265.13, aggravated assault upon a police officer or a peace officer as defined in section 120.11, gang assault in the first degree as defined in section 120.07, intimidating a victim or witness in the first degree as defined in section 215.17, hindering prosecution of terrorism in the first degree as defined in section 490.35, criminal possession of a chemical weapon or biological weapon in the second degree as defined in section 490.40, and criminal use of a chemical weapon or biological weapon in the third degree as defined in section 490.47.
(b) Class C violent felony offenses: an attempt to commit any of the class B felonies set forth in paragraph (a) of this subdivision; aggravated criminally negligent homicide as defined in section 125.11, aggravated manslaughter in the second degree as defined in section 125.21, aggravated sexual abuse in the second degree as defined in section 130.67, assault on a peace officer, police officer, firefighter or emergency medical services professional as defined in section 120.08, assault on a judge as defined in section 120.09, gang assault in the second degree as defined in section 120.06, strangulation in the first degree as defined in section 121.13, burglary in the second degree as defined in section 140.25, home invasion in the second degree as defined in section 140.50, robbery in the second degree as defined in section 160.10, criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree as defined in section 265.03, criminal use of a firearm in the second degree as defined in section 265.08, criminal sale of a firearm in the second degree as defined in section 265.12, criminal sale of a firearm with the aid of a minor as defined in section 265.14, aggravated criminal possession of a weapon as defined in section 265.19, soliciting or providing support for an act of terrorism in the first degree as defined in section 490.15, hindering prosecution of terrorism in the second degree as defined in section 490.30, and criminal possession of a chemical weapon or biological weapon in the third degree as defined in section 490.37.
A. 3525 3
(c) Class D violent felony offenses: an attempt to commit any of the class C felonies set forth in paragraph (b); reckless assault of a child as defined in section 120.02, assault in the second degree as defined in section 120.05, menacing a police officer or peace officer as defined in section 120.18, stalking in the first degree, as defined in subdivision one of section 120.60, strangulation in the second degree as defined in section 121.12, rape in the second degree as defined in section 130.30, criminal sexual act in the second degree as defined in section 130.45, sexual abuse in the first degree as defined in section 130.65, course of sexual conduct against a child in the second degree as defined in section 130.80, aggravated sexual abuse in the third degree as defined in section 130.66, facilitating a sex offense with a controlled substance as defined in section 130.90, labor trafficking as defined in paragraphs (a) and (b) of subdivision three of section 135.35, home invasion in the third degree as defined in section 140.45, criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree as defined in subdivision five, six, seven, eight, nine or ten of section 265.02, criminal sale of a firearm in the third degree as defined in section 265.11, intimidating a victim or witness in the second degree as defined in section 215.16, soliciting or providing support for an act of terrorism in the second degree as defined in section 490.10, and making a terroristic threat as defined in section 490.20, falsely reporting an incident in the first degree as defined in section 240.60, placing a false bomb or hazardous substance in the first degree as defined in section 240.62, placing a false bomb or hazardous substance in a sports stadium or arena, mass transportation facility or enclosed shopping mall as defined in section 240.63, and aggravated unpermitted use of indoor pyrotechnics in the first degree as defined in section 405.18.
(d) Class E violent felony offenses: an attempt to commit any of the felonies of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree as defined in subdivision five, six, seven or eight of section 265.02 as a lesser included offense of that section as defined in section 220.20 of the criminal procedure law, persistent sexual abuse as defined in section 130.53, aggravated sexual abuse in the fourth degree as defined in section 130.65-a, falsely reporting an incident in the second degree as defined in section 240.55 and placing a false bomb or hazardous substance in the second degree as defined in section 240.61.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
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