A 4855: Provides that the theft of benefits contained on an electronic benefit transfer card shall be a class D felony punishable by a fine of ten thousand dollars.
What A 4855 does, verified January 8, 2026
The bill aims to amend the penal law to enhance penalties for stealing benefits from an electronic benefit transfer card. A person will be guilty of grand larceny in the third degree if they steal property consisting of benefits on an electronic benefit transfer card, regardless of value. This offense is a class D felony. The court will impose a fine of $10,000 for the first violation and $15,000 for each subsequent violation. The amendment also modifies the existing definition of grand larceny in the third degree to include benefits from electronic benefit transfer cards.
Bill journey
1IntroducedCurrent
2In CommitteePending
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: referred to codes (2026-01-07)Alert me
Quick answers about A 4855
- What is the current status of A 4855?
- As of January 8, 2026, A 4855 is recorded as "Introduced": it has been introduced and is waiting for its first committee hearing or floor vote. The last recorded action, on January 7, 2026, was "referred to codes".
- Did A 4855 pass?
- Not yet. A 4855 has been introduced and has not passed either house.
- Who wrote A 4855, and where is it now?
- A 4855 was authored by Asm. Brian Cunningham. Its committee of record is Assembly Codes. It is filed under Penal, alongside 132 other New York Penal bills this session.
Author and sponsors
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| Jan. 07, 2026 | referred to codes |
| Feb. 06, 2025 | referred to codes |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, February 6, 2025 · 487 words
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4855 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY February 6, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. CUNNINGHAM -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BERGER, CHANG, KIM, MAHER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to the theft of benefits contained on an electronic benefit transfer card The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 155.35 of the penal law, as amended by section 5 of 2 part O of chapter 56 of the laws of 2024, subdivision 2 as separately 3 amended by and subdivision 3 as added by section 2 of part FF of chapter 4 55 of the laws of 2024 is amended to read as follows: 5 § 155.35 Grand larceny in the third degree. 6 A person is guilty of grand larceny in the third degree when such 7 person steals property and: 8 1. when the value of the property exceeds three thousand dollars, or 9 2. the property is an automated teller machine or the contents of an 10 automated teller machine, or 11 3. the property consists of retail goods or merchandise stolen pursu- 12 ant to a common scheme or plan or a single, ongoing intent to deprive 13 another or others of the property or to appropriate the property to the 14 actor or another person and the value of the property exceeds three 15 thousand dollars, which value may be determined by the aggregate value 16 of all such property regardless of whether the goods or merchandise were 17 stolen from the same owner. Nothing in this subdivision shall be read to 18 limit the ability to aggregate the value of any property or the ability 19 to charge the larceny of retail goods or merchandise under another 20 applicable provision of law[.], or 21 [3.] 4. when such person commits deed theft of one commercial real 22 property, regardless of the value[.], or 23 5. the property consists of any benefits on an electronic benefit 24 transfer card, regardless of value. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD08652-01-5A. 4855 2 1 Grand larceny in the third degree is a class D felony. 2 § 2. Section 80.00 of the penal law is amended by adding a new subdi- 3 vision 8 to read as follows: 4 8. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of subdivisions one and 5 three of this section, the court shall impose a fine for a violation of 6 subdivision five of section 155.35 of this chapter in the amount of ten 7 thousand dollars; and for each subsequent violation in the amount of 8 fifteen thousand dollars. 9 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Text of A 4855 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions