What's happening
This bill makes it a crime to impersonate a public utility employee in order to unlawfully enter or remain on property.
Why it matters
Expands criminal impersonation law. to specifically target those who pretend to be public utility workers to gain unauthorized access to homes or businesses, addressing a common tactic used in scams and burglaries.
Provides law enforcement with a clearer tool. to prosecute individuals who exploit the public’s trust in utility companies, potentially reducing incidents of theft, fraud, or assaults committed under false pretenses.
Aims to protect vulnerable populations. , such as seniors or individuals who may be more likely to grant access to someone claiming to be from a utility company, by deterring impersonators with the threat of criminal charges.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Fake Utility Workers
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to codes
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 60–0
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.282
- Referred to codes
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to codes
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 61–0
Show 4 earlier actions
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.806
- 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.
Ban Utility Worker Impersonation
In Assembly Committee · Codes · Sponsor Ron Kim
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2661
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 28, 2019
Introduced by Sen. SAVINO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to criminal impersonation of an employee of a public utility company or corporation
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 190.26 of the penal law, as added by chapter 2 of the laws of 1998, is amended and a new subdivision 4 is added to read as follows:
3. Pretending to be a duly licensed physician or other person authorized to issue a prescription for any drug or any instrument or device used in the taking or administering of drugs for which a prescription is required by law, communicates to a pharmacist an oral prescription which is required to be reduced to writing pursuant to section thirty-three hundred thirty-two of the public health law[.]; or
4. Pretends to be an employee of a public utility company or a public utility corporation as defined in section two of the public service law for the purpose of knowingly entering or remaining unlawfully in or upon a premises.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03971-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the penal law, in relation to criminal impersonation of an employee of a public utility company or corporation
Purpose or general idea of bill
The purpose of this bill is to make impersonation of a public utility employee for the purpose of gaining access to a residence a class E felony.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 would make it a class E felony of criminal impersonation in the first degree to pretend to be an employee of a public utility compa- ny or a public utility corporation for the purpose of knowingly entering or remaining unlawfully in or upon premises.
Justification
There have been an increasing number of cases of individuals pretending to be public utility workers in order to gain access to homes and commit crimes. This would make such impersonation a class E felony punishable by up to four years in prison with a minimum of one year.
Prior legislative history
2018 Session - S.3882 - Passed Senate
2017 Session S3882 - passed Senate
2016 Session - S7338 - passed Senate (59-1); died in Assembly Codes.
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
None.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.