SACRAMENTO – Assemblywoman Nicole Parra (D-Hanford) announced the passage of AB 2333 from the Assembly Floor by a vote of 64-0.

“We see so many instances of identity theft that shatter peoples’ lives,” said Assemblywoman Parra. “This crime is a gross violation of personal privacy and we need to do all we can to prevent it from happening and we must ensure that those committing it are punished to the fullest extent of the law.”

Under existing law, an individual who possesses another individual’s identifying information with the intent to defraud can only be charged with a misdemeanor, regardless of how many individuals they could harm. AB 2333 would make the possession of identifying information of 10 or more individuals, with the intent to defraud, an alternate misdemeanor-felony offense, punishable by imprisonment in a state prison for 16 months, 2 years, or 3 years, or by imprisonment in a county jail not to exceed one year, or by a fine not to exceed $1,000, or by both imprisonment and fine.

Identity theft is a rapidly growing problem throughout the State of California. Nationwide, the Federal Trade Commission reported 43,839 victims of ID theft in 2004, with an average amount paid of $1,455 in damages. Those numbers rank California 3rd in the nation in identity theft victims, on a per capita basis.

“Oftentimes we talk about the problems facing society, but the time for talk is over when it comes to identity theft,” said Assemblywoman Parra. “We need to take a pro-active approach to combating this serious issue, and I feel this bill is another positive step in honing a very comprehensive identity theft policy.”

AB 2333, which now moves to the Senate Rules Committee, is supported by the California District Attorneys Association, the California Credit Union League, the California Narcotic Officers’ Association, and the Coalition for Quality Credit Counseling.