NY State Senate Bill 2015-S5292

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Judiciary Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 06, 2016	referred to judiciary
May 12, 2015	referred to judiciary

2015-S5292 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A5595
Current Committee:: Senate Judiciary
Law Section:: General Obligations Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §11-105, Gen Ob L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2013-2014: A9630
2017-2018: S4922, S8443, A3174
2019-2020: S1744
2021-2022: S3013

2015-S5292 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to larceny in mercantile establishments.

2015-S5292 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S5292

TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the general obligations law, in relation to larceny in
mercantile establishments

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To impose a limit on the civil penalty paid to mercantile establishments
in the case of alleged larceny to the amount of no more than two times
the actual sales price (the price of the item at the specific place, on
the specific day and at the specific time of the alleged larceny) or
$50.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Amends Section 11-105 of the General Obligations Law to
define "actual sales price" as the price of the merchandise offered for
sale to the public at the specific place, on the specific day and at the
specific time of the alleged larceny. If such merchandise up to the
amount of $1500, is not recovered in merchantable condition, the alleged
person, or legal guardian in the case of minor, shall be civilly liable
for no more than 2 times the actual sales price or $50, and the penalty
shall not exceed $500.

Section 2. Effective Date

EXISTING LAW:

Under Section 11-105, those persons who allegedly commit larceny are
civilly liable for penalties up to 5 times that of the retail price of
the good or $75.

JUSTIFICATION:

Mercantile establishments have been forcing exorbitant fees on those
civilly liable for damaged incurred from incidents of larceny. For
instance, in a case of larceny where an item is on sale for $10, if the
retail price of the item is $30, an alleged case of larceny would yield
of a civil liability 5 times that of the retail price, or $150.  This
represents a $140 difference for an item which the establishment was
originally willing to sell for $10. This practice could be construed as
predatory, as the mercantile establishments know the alleged offender in
legally bound to paying the exorbitant fine. This legislation would act
to curb this practice and have a fair and just penalty for the act of
larceny.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2015: New Bill/A.5595 Referred to Judiciary
2014: A.9630 - Referred to Judiciary

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the State.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act shall take effect immediately.

2015-S5292 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  5292

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              May 12, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  DIAZ  --  read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary

AN ACT to amend the general obligations law, in relation to  larceny  in
  mercantile establishments

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Section 11-105 of the general obligations law, as added  by
chapter 724 of the laws of 1991, is amended to read as follows:
  S 11-105. Larceny  in  mercantile establishments. 1. When used in this
section, the term "mercantile establishment" shall mean a place or vehi-
cle where goods, wares or merchandise are offered for sale or a place or
vehicle from which deliveries of goods, wares or merchandise are made.
  2. When used in this section, the term "larceny" is an act  heretofore
defined  or known as common law larceny by trespassory taking as defined
in paragraph (a) of subdivision two of section 155.05 of the  penal  law
committed against the property of a mercantile establishment.
  2-A.  WHEN  USED  IN THIS SECTION, THE TERM "ACTUAL SALES PRICE" SHALL
MEAN THE PRICE OF THE MERCHANDISE OFFERED FOR SALE TO THE PUBLIC AT  THE
SPECIFIC  PLACE,  ON  THE  SPECIFIC  DAY AND AT THE SPECIFIC TIME OF THE
ALLEGED LARCENY.
  3. When used in this section, the term "emancipated minor" shall  mean
a  person  who  was  over  the age of sixteen at the time of the alleged
larceny and who was no longer a dependent of or  in  the  custody  of  a
parent or legal guardian.
  4.  In  any  proceeding brought under this section the burden of proof
shall be by a preponderance of the evidence.
  5. An adult or emancipated minor who commits larceny against the prop-
erty of a mercantile establishment shall be civilly liable to the opera-
tor of such establishment in an amount consisting of:
  (a) the [retail] ACTUAL SALES price of  the  merchandise  OFFERED  FOR
SALE  TO  THE GENERAL PUBLIC AT THE TIME OF SUCH ALLEGED LARCENY if SUCH

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD06504-01-5

S. 5292                             2

MERCHANDISE IS not recovered in merchantable condition up to  an  amount
not to exceed fifteen hundred dollars; plus
  (b)  a  penalty  not  to  exceed  the  greater of [five] TWO times the
[retail] ACTUAL SALES price of the merchandise or  [seventy-five]  FIFTY
dollars;  provided,  however, that in no event shall such penalty exceed
five hundred dollars.
  6. Parents or legal guardians  of  an  unemancipated  minor  shall  be
civilly  liable  for said minor who commits larceny against the property
of a mercantile establishment to the operator of such  establishment  in
an amount consisting of:
  (a)  the  [retail]  ACTUAL  SALES price of the merchandise OFFERED FOR
SALE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AT THE TIME OF SUCH ALLEGED LARCENY  if  SUCH
MERCHANDISE  IS  not recovered in merchantable condition up to an amount
not to exceed fifteen hundred dollars; plus
  (b) a penalty not to exceed  the  greater  of  [five]  TWO  times  the
[retail]  ACTUAL  SALES price of the merchandise or [seventy-five] FIFTY
dollars; provided, however, that in no event shall such  penalty  exceed
five hundred dollars.
  7.  A  conviction  or a plea of guilty for committing larceny is not a
prerequisite to the bringing of a civil suit, obtaining a  judgment,  or
collecting that judgment under this section.
  8.  The  fact that an operator of a mercantile establishment may bring
an action against an individual as provided in this  section  shall  not
limit  the right of such merchant to [demand, orally or] ASK in writing,
that a person who is liable for damages and penalties under this section
remit the damages and penalties prior to the commencement of  any  legal
action.
  9.  In  any  action brought under subdivision six of this section, the
court shall consider in the interest of justice mitigating circumstances
that bear directly upon the actions of the parent or legal  guardian  in
supervising the unemancipated minor who committed the larceny.
  10. An action for recovery of damages and penalties under this section
may be brought in any court of competent jurisdiction.
  11.  The provisions of this section shall not be construed to prohibit
or limit any other cause of action which an  operator  of  a  mercantile
establishment may have against a person who unlawfully takes merchandise
from the mercantile establishment.
  12.  Any  testimony  or  statements  of the defendant or unemancipated
minor child of the defendant or any evidence derived from an attempt  to
reach  a  civil settlement or from a civil proceeding brought under this
section shall be inadmissible in any other court proceeding relating  to
such larceny.
  S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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Senate Bill S5292

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Judiciary Committee

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2015-S5292 (ACTIVE) - Details

2015-S5292 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2015-S5292 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2015-S5292 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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Sponsored By

Ruben Diaz

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Judiciary Committee

Actions

2015-S5292 (ACTIVE) - Details

2015-S5292 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2015-S5292 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2015-S5292 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments