A proposal to increase penalties for shoplifting in New York is gaining support in the Legislature as lawmakers this year have proposed a variety of ways to address what has become a multi-billion dollar headache for retailers across New York and the country. 

State Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara announced Saturday he would sponsor legislation to address repeat offenders who have been convicted of petty larceny twice within the last three months or three times a year. It would treat those offenses as fourth-degree grand larceny, a felony. 

"Repeat shoplifting is a significant concern affecting our community's businesses and burdening law-abiding families with higher prices," he said. "This legislation ensures that repeat offenders are held accountable for their actions and, hopefully, serves as a strong deterrent against shoplifting in our state."

The proposal has the backing of state Sen. Jake Ashby, a Republican. 

Shoplifting has increasingly come onto the radar of New York lawmakers as voters register concerns surrounding crime and public safety, an issue that polling has shown continues to resonate with people. Violent crime has started to decline, and officials have touted a decrease in shootings this year. 

Lawmakers this year proposed measures meant to crack down on the assaults of retailer workers. The Legislature is sending to Gov. Kathy Hochul a proposal to create a 15-member task force to address organized retail theft and examine how other states have handled the problem. 

A rise in shoplifting coincided with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with fewer retail workers in stores as well as organized rings ransacking businesses in order to re-sell items over the internet. 

Some Democratic lawmakers have been hesitant to embrace measures to increase criminal penalties and charges over the years in Albany.