Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Arkansas General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
1 State of Arkansas A Bill
2 95th General Assembly
3 Regular Session, 2025 SENATE BILL 513
4
5 By: Senators B. Johnson, Hill
6 By: Representative M. Shepherd
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO CREATE THE CRIMINAL OFFENSE OF MAIL THEFT;
10 TO CREATE THE CRIMINAL OFFENSE OF THEFT OR
11 UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION OF A MAIL RECEPTACLE KEY OR
12 LOCK; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
13
14
15 Subtitle
16 TO CREATE THE CRIMINAL OFFENSE OF MAIL
17 THEFT; AND TO CREATE THE CRIMINAL
18 OFFENSE OF THEFT OR UNAUTHORIZED
19 REPRODUCTION OF A MAIL RECEPTACLE KEY OR
20 LOCK.
21
22 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
23
24 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 5, Chapter 36, Subchapter 1, is amended
25 to add additional sections to read as follows:
26 5-36-127. Mail theft.
27 (a) As used in this section:
28 (1) "Mail" means a letter, postcard, parcel, envelope, package,
29 bag, or another sealed article addressed to another person, along with its
30 contents;
31 (2) "Mail depository" means a mail box, letter box, or mail
32 receptacle of a postal service, an office of a postal service, or a vehicle
33 of a postal service; and
34 (3) "Postal service" means the United States Postal Service or
35 its contractors or any commercial courier that delivers mail.
36 (b) A person commits mail theft if he or she knowingly:
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1 (1) Takes or exercises unauthorized control over or makes an
2 unauthorized transfer of an interest in the mail of another person that is in
3 a mail depository or with a postal service for the purpose of depriving the
4 other person of the mail;
5 (2) Obtains the mail of another person by deception or by threat
6 with the purpose of depriving the other person of the mail; or
7 (3) Sells, receives, possesses, transfers, buys, or conceals
8 mail obtained unlawfully as prohibited by subdivision (b)(1) or subdivision
9 (b)(2) of this section, while knowing or having reason to know the mail was
10 obtained unlawfully.
11 (c) Mail theft is a:
12 (1) Class D felony for a first offense; or
13 (2) Class A felony for a second or subsequent offense.
14 (d) In addition to the penalties provided in subsection (c) of this
15 section, a person convicted of mail theft under this section shall be ordered
16 to make full restitution to the victim and any other person who has suffered
17 a financial loss as a result of the offense of mail theft.
18 (e) Mail theft may be prosecuted in any of the following counties:
19 (1) The county where the offense occurred; or
20 (2) The county of residence or place of business of the direct
21 or indirect victim.
22
23 5-36-128. Theft or unauthorized reproduction of a mail receptacle key
24 or lock.
25 (a) As used in this section:
26 (1) "Mail" means a letter, postcard, parcel, envelope, package,
27 bag, or another sealed article addressed to another person, along with its
28 contents; and
29 (2) "Postal service" means the United States Postal Service or
30 its contractors or any commercial courier that delivers mail.
31 (b) A person commits theft or unauthorized reproduction of a mail
32 receptacle key or lock if he or she:
33 (1) Commits theft of a key or lock adopted by a postal service
34 for a box or other authorized receptacle for the deposit or delivery of mail;
35 or
36 (2) Knowingly makes, forges, or counterfeits a key or possesses
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1 a key or lock adopted by a postal service that delivers mail with the purpose
2 to unlawfully use, sell, or otherwise dispose of the key or lock or to cause
3 the key or lock to be unlawfully used, sold, or otherwise disposed.
4 (c) Theft or unauthorized reproduction of a mail receptacle key or
5 lock is a:
6 (1) Class D felony for a first offense; or
7 (2) Class A felony for a second or subsequent offense.
8 (d) In addition to the penalties provided in subsection (c) of this
9 section, a person convicted of theft or unauthorized reproduction of a mail
10 receptacle key or lock shall be ordered to make full restitution to the
11 victim and any other person who has suffered a financial loss as a result of
12 the offense.
13 (e) Theft or unauthorized reproduction of a mail receptacle key or
14 lock may be prosecuted in any of the following counties:
15 (1) The county where the offense occurred; or
16 (2) The county of residence or place of business of the direct
17 or indirect victim.
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3 03/18/2025 4:21:13 PM ANS326Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.