§ 11-18-1.2 - False statement to obtain replacement public assistance check or authorization.
SECTION 11-18-1.2
§ 11-18-1.2 False statement to obtainreplacement public assistance check or authorization. – Any person who shall knowingly and intentionally file or cause to be filed withthe department of human services, or any employee or agent of the department,any statement or affidavit in writing which is false or erroneous, or defectivein any important particular, and which, to his or her knowledge, is intended toreport that one or more public assistance benefit checks or authorizationsissued pursuant to chapter 6 of title 40, has been lost, destroyed, or stolenand is intended to induce or cause the department or its employees or agents,to issue a replacement check or authorization, shall be guilty of a felony and,upon conviction, shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than five (5)years, or by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or both,if the total value of the replacement checks or authorization(s) so issued inany period of twelve (12) consecutive months shall exceed five hundred dollars($500), or shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall bepunished by imprisonment for not more than one year, or by a fine of not morethan one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both, if the value of the replacementcheck or authorization so issued shall not exceed five hundred dollars ($500).All criminal actions for any violation of this section shall be prosecuted bythe attorney general. The statement or affidavit shall contain languagenotifying the signer, in conspicuous language, that any false statement on thestatement or affidavit is punishable by up to five (5) years imprisonment and afive thousand dollar ($5,000) fine.