2019 -- H 5486

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LC001430

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES - THEFT, EMBEZZLEMENT, FALSE PRETENSES

AND MISAPPROPRIATIONS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Serpa, Vella-Wilkinson, Fellela, Lima, and Ucci

     Date Introduced: February 14, 2019

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 11-41-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-41 entitled "Theft,

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Embezzlement, False Pretenses, and Misappropriation" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     11-41-5. Penalties for larceny.

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     (a) Any person convicted of any offense under §§ 11-41-1 -- 11-41-6, except § 11-41-3,

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shall be punished as follows, according to the value of the property or money stolen, received,

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embezzled, fraudulently appropriated, converted, or obtained, received, taken, or secreted by false

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pretenses or otherwise with intent to cheat, defraud, embezzle, or fraudulently convert:

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     (1) If the value exceeds one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500), and is less than five

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thousand dollars ($5,000), by imprisonment for not more than three (3) years or by a fine of not

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more than one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500), or both;

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     (2) If the value exceeds five thousand dollars ($5,000), but is less than ten thousand

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dollars ($10,000), by imprisonment for not more than six (6) years or by a fine of not more than

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three thousand dollars ($3,000), or both; and

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     (3) If the value exceeds ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or if the property is a firearm as

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defined in § 11-47-5.1, regardless of its value, the person shall be punished by imprisonment for

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not more than ten (10) years or by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or both.

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If the value does not exceed one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500), the person shall be

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punished by imprisonment for not more than one year, or by a fine of not more than five hundred

 

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dollars ($500), or both. Any person convicted of an offense under § 11-41-2 who shall be found

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to have knowingly obtained the property from a person under eighteen (18) years of age,

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notwithstanding the value of the property or money, shall be punished by imprisonment for not

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more than ten (10) years or by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or both.

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     (b) Any person convicted of an offense in violation of §§ 11-41-1 -- 11-41-7, except §

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11-41-3, that involves a victim who is a person sixty-five (65) years of age or older at the time of

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the offense and which involves property or money stolen, received, embezzled, fraudulently

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appropriated, converted, or obtained, received, taken, or secreted by false pretenses or otherwise

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with intent to cheat, defraud, embezzle, or fraudulently convert, with a value in excess of five

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hundred dollars ($500), shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than two (2) years but not

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more than fifteen (15) years or by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or both.

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If the value of the property or money does not exceed five hundred dollars ($500), the person

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shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year but not more than five (5) years or

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by a fine of not more than three thousand dollars ($3,000), or both.

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     (c) In addition to any other penalties pursuant to this section, an elected official or

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candidate for office convicted of violating §§ 11-41-1, 11-41-2, 11-41-3 or 11-41-4 where the

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theft is a campaign account created, pursuant to title 17, for the benefit of the person so convicted,

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all restitution shall be deposited into the Rhode Island crime victim compensation program fund

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and not into the campaign account of that person convicted of the offense.

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     SECTION 2. Section 17-25-13 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-25 entitled "Rhode

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Island Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Reporting" is hereby amended to read as

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follows:

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     17-25-13. Penalties.

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     (a) Any person who willfully and knowingly violates the provisions of this chapter shall,

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upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined not more than one thousand

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dollars ($1,000) per violation.

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     (b) The state board may fine any person or entity who violates the provisions of this

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chapter in an amount not more than one hundred dollars ($100) per violation.

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     (c) Fines, fees and penalties imposed by the state board for violations of this chapter shall

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be paid for by the candidate, officeholder or entity against whose campaign the fines, fees or

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penalties have been levied. Fines, fees and penalties levied by the state board pursuant to this

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chapter shall not be paid for from contributions or funds available in a campaign account.

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     (d) An elected official or candidate for office convicted of violating §§ 11-41-1, 11-41-2,

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11-41-3 or 11-41-4 where the theft is from a campaign account created, pursuant to title 17, for

 

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the benefit of the person so convicted, all restitution shall be deposited into the Rhode Island

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crime victim compensation program fund and not into the campaign account of that person

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convicted of the offense.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES - THEFT, EMBEZZLEMENT, FALSE PRETENSES

AND MISAPPROPRIATIONS

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     This act would require that penalties or restitution payments for larceny or campaign

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expenditure reporting violations be deposited into the Rhode Island crime victim compensation

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program fund when such payment is required of a political candidate and the subject of the theft

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is the candidate's campaign account.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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