 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          5485
 
                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                    IN SENATE
 
                                    February 21, 2025
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by  Sen.  COMRIE -- 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 deterring theft of  essen-
          tial infrastructure
 
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. Short title.  This act shall be known and may be  cited  as
     2  the "prevention of damage to essential infrastructure act".
     3    §  2.  The  penal law is amended by adding two new sections 155.26 and
     4  155.27 to read as follows:
     5  § 155.26 Grand larceny of essential services in the second degree.
     6    1. A person is guilty of grand larceny of essential  services  in  the
     7  second  degree  when  such  person  steals  the property of an essential
     8  service provider as defined in subdivision two of this section.
     9    2. For purposes of this section, an "essential service provider" shall
    10  mean a utility company as defined in subdivision twenty-three of section
    11  two of the public service law, a cable television company as defined  in
    12  subdivision  one  of section two hundred twelve of such law, an internet
    13  service provider as defined in  paragraph  (g)  of  subdivision  one  of
    14  section  two  hundred  twenty-four-c  of  such law, a cellular telephone
    15  company, any other person or entity providing  voice  or  data  communi-
    16  cations  services  to  the  public,  regardless of its regulatory status
    17  under state or federal law, or a public utility authority subject to the
    18  provisions of article five of the public authorities law.
    19    Grand larceny of essential services in the second degree is a class  C
    20  felony.
    21  § 155.27 Grand larceny of essential services in the first degree.
    22    A person is guilty of grand larceny of essential services in the first
    23  degree  when such person steals property of an essential service provid-
    24  er, as defined in subdivision two of section 155.26 of this article, and
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD09719-01-5
        S. 5485                             2
 
     1  such action causes  a  substantial  interruption  of  or  impairment  of
     2  services provided by such essential service provider.
     3    Grand  larceny  of essential services in the first degree is a class B
     4  felony.
     5    § 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
     6  have become a law.
Relates to deterring theft of essential infrastructure

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