Nick Reisman reports at New York State of Politics that New York lawmakers are discussing increasing penalties for shoplifting. State Assemblyperson Angelo Santabarbara, a Democrat, said, "Repeat shoplifting is a significant concern affecting our community's businesses and burdening law-abiding families with higher prices.... This legislation ensures that repeat offenders are held accountable for their actions and, hopefully, serves as a strong deterrent against shoplifting in our state." His bill would bump repeat offenders who have been convicted of petty larceny twice within the last three months or three times a year up to fourth-degree grand larceny, a felony. State Sen. Jake Ashby, a Republican who represents part of Rensselaer County, is co-sponsoring the bill. Crime was a large issue in the 2022 Congressional elections in New York. Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.