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H.661

Introduced by   Representative Lippert of Hinesburg

Referred to Committee on

Date:

Subject:  Crimes; identity theft

Statement of purpose:  This bill proposes to create the crime of identity theft.

AN ACT RELATING TO IDENTITY THEFT

It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:

Sec. 1.  13 V.S.A. § 2026 is added to read:

§ 2026.  IDENTITY THEFT

(a)  No person shall knowingly or recklessly obtain, produce, possess, use, sell, give, or transfer personal identifying information belonging or pertaining to another person without the consent of the other person and with intent to use the information to commit or facilitate any crime.

(b)  No person shall knowingly or recklessly obtain, produce, possess, use, sell, give, or transfer personal identifying information belonging or pertaining to another person without the consent of the other person, thereby knowingly or recklessly facilitating the use of the information by a third person to commit or facilitate any crime.

(c)  For the purposes of this section, “personal identifying information” includes name, address, birth date, Social Security number, driver’s license number, telephone number, financial services account number, savings account number, checking account number, credit card number, debit card number, identification document or false identification document, electronic identification number, educational record, health care record, financial record, credit record, employment record, e-mail address, computer system password, mother’s maiden name or similar personal number, record, or information.

(d)  A person who violates this section shall be imprisoned for not more than three years or fined not more $3,000.00, or both.  A person who violates this section where the victim is a person 18 years of age or older who has a diagnosed physical or mental impairment or a person who is 60 years of age or older shall be imprisoned for not more than five years or fined not more than $5,000.00, or both.  A person who commits a second or subsequent violation of this section shall be imprisoned for not more than ten years or fined not more than $10,000.00, or both.