New York S 5698: Relates to the criminal impersonation in the second degree and establishing a stolen valor fee

Bill Text

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S05698 Summary:

BILL NOS05698 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS A02570

&nbsp

SPONSORSKOUFIS

&nbsp

COSPNSR

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Amd §§10.00, 190.25 & 60.35, Pen L

&nbsp

Provides that a person is guilty of criminal impersonation in the second degree when a person pretends to be a servicemember or former servicemember, or a first responder, or as having received a decoration or medal; establishes a stolen valor fee.

Go to top S05698 Actions:

BILL NOS05698 

&nbsp

02/28/2025REFERRED TO CODES

01/07/2026REFERRED TO CODES

Go to topS05698 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS05698 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS05698 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 5698

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 February 28, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. SKOUFIS -- 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 in
 the second degree and establishes a stolen valor fee

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. Section 10.00 of the penal law is amended by adding five
 2 new subdivisions 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 to read as follows:
 3 23. "Military or reserves" means (a) the United States army, navy, air
 4 force, marines, space force, coast guard, commissioned corps of the
 5 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, commissioned corps of
 6 the Public Health Service, and the reserve components thereof including
 7 the army national guard and air national guard or (b) the New York guard
 8 or the New York naval militia, or the organized militia or defense force
 9 of any other state, territory or the District of Columbia, or (c) any
 10 group designated by the federal government as performing or having
 11 performed active military, naval, air, or space service for purposes of
 12 eligibility for benefits administered by the United States department of
 13 veterans affairs.
 14 24. "Servicemember" means a person serving as a member of the mili-
 15 tary or reserves.
 16 25. "Former servicemember" means a person who was a member of the
 17 military or reserves as defined in subdivision twenty-three of this
 18 section and who was discharged or released therefrom.
 19 26. "First responder" means a firefighter, law enforcement officer,
 20 paramedic, emergency medical technician, emergency services dispatcher,
 21 or other individual, whether compensated or not, who, in the course of
 22 their professional or volunteer duties, responds to fire, medical,
 23 hazardous material, or other similar emergencies.
 24 27. "First responder agency" means a state or local district, munici-
 25 pality, or other political subdivision or volunteer organization for

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD05937-01-5

 S. 5698 2

 1 which a first responder provides fire protection, paramedic services,
 2 law enforcement, emergency services, or rescue or recovery services.
 3 § 2. Subdivision 5 of section 190.25 of the penal law, as added by
 4 chapter 739 of the laws of 2021, is amended and two new subdivisions 6
 5 and 7 are added to read as follows:
 6 5. Impersonates another person, without such other person's permis-
 7 sion, by using the other person's electronic signature with intent to
 8 obtain a benefit or injure or defraud the other person or another
 9 person. For the purposes of this subdivision, electronic signature shall
 10 have the same meaning as set forth in subdivision three of section three
 11 hundred two of the state technology law[.]; or
 12 6. (a) Pretends to be a servicemember or former servicemember, or
 13 wears or displays without authority, any uniform, badge or other insig-
 14 nia or facsimile thereof by which such servicemember or former servicem-
 15 ember is lawfully distinguished, or falsely holds oneself out to be a
 16 recipient of a decoration or medal created by federal or state laws and
 17 regulations to honor servicemembers or former servicemembers or falsely
 18 expresses by such person's words or actions that such person is a servi-
 19 cemember or former servic