Public Benefits Theft

The act creates specific elements for public benefits theft in the theft statute. A person commits public benefits theft when a person intentionally misrepresents or withholds a material fact for determining eligibility, and does so for the purpose of obtaining or retaining public benefits for which the person is not eligible.

A person's conduct that is limited to the elements of public benefits theft is not subject to prosecution pursuant to any other provision of the theft statute.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)