S6323A
An act to amend the General Business Law regarding identity theft victim account access — 2023-05-15 · Calendar #737
The New York State Senate passed legislation sponsored by Sen. Gonzalez that would allow identity theft victims to regain access to their accounts at retail companies by presenting government-issued photo identification. The bill passed 41-19 on a roll call vote. Sen. Gonzalez explained the measure was prompted by recent high-profile cases in which thieves stole iPhones, locked victims out of their accounts by changing passcodes, and drained tens of thousands of dollars from bank accounts and payment apps like Venmo. The bill would apply to companies with physical retail locations and would accept unexpired state IDs and passports as proof of identity. Sen. Murray questioned the bill during debate, noting the apparent contradiction between requiring photo ID to protect financial accounts while opposing photo ID requirements for voting. Despite her concerns, Murray was the only senator to speak against the measure. The bill received no formal opposition memos from outside groups. The vote marked the first bill passage for Sen. Gonzalez, which drew a standing ovation from the chamber.
PASSED
Ayes: 41
· Nays: 19
Debate Summary
Sen. Gonzalez explained the bill would allow identity theft victims to use physical government-issued photo identification to regain access to accounts at retail companies with physical locations. She cited recent high-profile cases where stolen iPhones were used to drain bank accounts and Venmo funds after thieves changed passcodes. Sen. Murray questioned the bill's provisions and raised concerns about the apparent inconsistency of requiring photo ID for financial account access while opposing photo ID requirements for voting.
Recorded Votes
Recorded votes are predominantly dissenting (nay) votes captured from roll call records.
| Senator | Vote | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Ashby | nay | Republican |
| Borrello | nay | Republican |
| Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick | nay | Republican |
| Griffo | nay | Republican |
| Helming | nay | Republican |
| Martins | nay | Republican |
| Mattera | nay | Republican |
| Murray | nay | Republican |
| O'Mara | nay | Republican |
| Oberacker | nay | Republican |
| Ortt | nay | Republican |
| Palumbo | nay | Republican |
| Rhoads | nay | Republican |
| Rolison | nay | Republican |
| Stec | nay | Republican |
| Tedisco | nay | Republican |
| Walczyk | nay | Republican |
| Weber | nay | Republican |
| Weik | nay | Republican |