Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

BILL AS INTRODUCED                                                           S.297
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                                       S.297
 Introduced by Senators Brock, Collamore, Norris and Weeks
 Referred to Committee on
 Date:
 Subject: Crimes; grand larceny; retail theft
 Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to permit the
 aggregate value of stolen property to be used to satisfy the $900.00 threshold
 that determines whether a crime is (1) grand larceny or petit larceny; and
 (2) felony retail theft or misdemeanor retail theft.
    An act relating to the aggregate value of stolen property in certain crimes
 It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
 Sec. 1. 13 V.S.A. § 2501 is amended to read:
 § 2501. GRAND LARCENY
    (a) A person who steals from the actual or constructive possession of
 another, other than from his or her person, money, goods, chattels, bank notes,
 bonds, promissory notes, bills of exchange or other bills, orders, or certificates,
 or a book of accounts for or concerning money, or goods due or to become due
 or to be delivered, or a deed or writing containing a conveyance of land, or any
 other valuable contract in force, or a receipt, release or defeasance, writ,
 process, or public record, shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years or fined VT LEG #372838 v.1
     BILL AS INTRODUCED                                                              S.297
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 not more than $5,000.00, or both, if the money or other property stolen exceeds
 $900.00 in value.
    (b) It shall be a violation of subsection (a) of this section if:
       (1) a person acts in concert with one or more persons on one or more
 occasions within a period of 180 days to commit the offense of petit larceny in
 violation of section 2502 of this title; and
       (2) the aggregate value of the money or other property stolen exceeds
 $900.00.
 Sec. 2. 13 V.S.A. § 2575 is amended to read:
 § 2575. OFFENSE OF RETAIL THEFT
    A person commits the offense of retail theft when the person, with intent of
 depriving a merchant wrongfully of the lawful possession of merchandise,
 money, or credit:
       (1) takes and carries away or causes to be taken and carried away or aids
 and abets the carrying away of, any merchandise from a retail mercantile
 establishment without paying the retail value of the merchandise; or
                                         ***
                                                                            VT LEG #372838 v.1
     BILL AS INTRODUCED                                                          S.297
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 Sec. 3. 13 V.S.A. § 2577 is amended to read:
 § 2577. PENALTY
    (a) A person convicted of the offense of retail theft of merchandise having
 a retail value not in excess of $900.00 shall be punished by a fine of not more
 than $500.00 or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both.
    (b)(1) A person convicted of the offense of retail theft of merchandise
 having a retail value in excess of $900.00 shall be punished by a fine of not
 more than $1,000.00 or imprisonment for not more than 10 years, or both.
       (2) A person shall be punished pursuant to this subsection if:
            (A) a person acts in concert with one or more persons on one or more
 occasions within a period of 180 days to commit the offense of retail theft in
 violation of subdivision 2575(1) of this title; and
            (B) the aggregate value of the merchandise taken away exceeds
 $900.00.
                                        ***
 Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE
    This act shall take effect on passage.
                                                                       VT LEG #372838 v.1
Statutes affected: 
As Introduced: 13-2501, 13-2575, 13-2577