S2468-2013 Actions

• Jan 17, 2013: REFERRED TO CODES

S2468-2013 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S2468               REVISED 1/28/13

TITLE  OF BILL:   An act to amend the penal law, in relation to computer
tampering

PURPOSE:  To elevate all computer tampering offenses by  one  degree  in
severity.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section  1  amends  section  156.20  of the penal law elevating computer
tampering in the fourth degree from a class A misdemeanor to a  class  E
felony.

Section  2  amends  section  156.2S  of the penal law elevating computer
tampering in the third degree from a class E felony to a class D felony.

Section 3 amends section 156.25 of  the  penal  law  elevating  computer
tampering  in the second degree from a class D felony to a class C felo-
ny.

Section 4 amends section 156.27 of  the  penal  law  elevating  computer
tampering in the first degree from a class C felony to a class B felony.

JUSTIFICATION:    Computers  are  part of everyone's daily life and they
help us in performing many tasks including: paying bills, banking, sign-
ing up for classes at the University, shopping and other business trans-
actions. Computers are a major component of information sharing, storage
and maintenance technology in virtually all  business  and  governmental
institutions.  With the increase use of computers and the World Wide Web
to process information, there are criminals that attempt to  maliciously
disrupt computer systems with computer viruses and to steal our personal
information for criminal use. As states across the nation have redefined
their  criminal laws to account for the fluid and ever-changing world of
technology, computer crimes cost businesses, financial institutions  and
individuals  millions  of  dollars every year. This bill strengthens our
penal law by increasing the computer tampering  penalties  so  that  the
punishment fits the crime.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:  2012: S.2936 - Passed Senate /A.1823 - Referred to
Codes.  2011: S.2936 - Passed Senate /A.1823 - Referred to Codes.  2010:
S.6847 -  Referred to Codes/A.10102 - Referred to Codes.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect on the first of November next
succeeding the date on which it shall have become law.

S2468-2013 Text

 S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 
 
                                         2468
 2013-2014 Regular Sessions
 I N  SENATE
 January 17, 2013
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  LANZA  -- 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 computer tampering
 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

Section  1.  The closing paragraph of section 156.20 of the penal law,
 as amended by chapter 558 of the laws of 2006, is  amended  to  read  as
 follows:

 Computer  tampering  in the fourth degree is a class [A misdemeanor] E
 FELONY.
 

S 2. The closing paragraph of section 156.25  of  the  penal  law,  as
 amended  by  chapter  89  of  the  laws  of  1993, is amended to read as
 follows:

 Computer tampering in the third degree is a class [E] D felony.
 

S 3. The closing paragraph of section 156.26  of  the  penal  law,  as
 amended  by  chapter  590  of  the  laws  of 2008, is amended to read as
 follows:

 Computer tampering in the second degree is a class [D] C felony.
 

S 4. The closing paragraph of section 156.27  of  the  penal  law,  as
 added by chapter 89 of the laws of 1993, is amended to read as follows:

 Computer tampering in the first degree is a class [C] B felony.
 

S 5. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeed
 ing 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.
 LBD04638-01-3

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