Falsifying Covid Vax Card in New York Now Comes with Jail Time
Falsifying Covid vaccine cards in New York state will now land you in jail for up to one year.
Proof of Covid vaccination is required in order to enter restaurants, bars, theaters, gyms and more in New York City.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed new legislation making falsifying Covid vax cards a class A misdemeanor – and tampering with computer records related to Covid vaccines is now a class E felony.
Faking a Covid card is punishable by up to 1 year behind bars.
Tampering with computer records can land you in prison for up to 4 years.
NBC New York reported:
Falsifying a COVID-19 vaccination card is now a class A misdemeanor in the state of New York, and tampering with computer records related to vaccinations is now a class E felony, after Gov. Kathy Hochul signed new legislation late Wednesday.
The bill clarifies that “a COVID Vaccination Card shall be considered a written instrument for purposes of the forgery statute,” which makes faking one a crime punishable by up to 1 year in jail or 3 years’ probation.
That bill also created the felony of computer tampering in the third degree for “intentional entering, alteration or destruction of ‘computer material’ regarding COVID-19 vaccine provisions,” according to a statement from the governor’s office.
Class E felonies can be punished with up to four years in prison.
“The ‘Truth in Vaccination’ law will serve as a strong deterrent to prevent people from lying about their vaccination status, protecting public health, and ensuring our economic recovery can move forward,” state senator Anna M. Kaplan said in a statement.
