New Arkansas bill proposes felony charges for stealing packages from a porch

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KY3) - A bill filed earlier this week in the Arkansas legislature proposes felony charges for those who steal a package from a porch at someone’s home.

Rep. Lee Johnson (R-Greenwood) has filed House Bill 1317, which could lead to felony charges and jail time for any convicted porch pirates.

“The proposed bill increases the penalty for some occurrences of theft of property which are currently punishable as a Class A misdemeanor,” according to an impact assessment of the bill.

The bill specifically proposes felonies for thefts from the “curtilage” of a home, which could also include stealing from a garage, driveway or a delivery truck.

This bill could be debated next Tuesday during the Arkansas House Judiciary Committee meeting.

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