Relating to certain criminal offenses involving mail or a mail receptacle key or lock; creating a criminal offense; increasing a criminal penalty.

Contracts

• Lease Agreements: Update commercial and residential leases to explicitly retain landlord ownership of master mail keys and disclaim liability for mail left in unsecured common areas.
• Vendor MSAs: If you outsource security or janitorial services, amend Master Service Agreements to require strict key control protocols. Indemnification clauses must cover criminal negligence related to mail key loss.
• Employment Agreements: Update termination clauses to include "unauthorized possession or duplication of access devices" as immediate grounds for dismissal to mitigate vicarious liability.

Hiring/Training

• Background Checks: Due to the penalty enhancement for offenses against the elderly or disabled, screen all mail-handling staff for prior theft convictions.
• Staff Training: Train mailroom and front-desk staff on the "5+ Rule." They must understand that holding mail for 5 or more addressees without immediate processing can technically trigger a presumption of theft under the new statute.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Key Control Logs: Implement a permanent, signed log for all master mail keys. You must be able to prove exactly who held a key at any specific time to defend against claims of "intent to defraud."
• Incident Reports: Document lost keys immediately. A filed police report regarding a lost key is your primary defense against a charge of unlawful transfer or possession.

Fees & Costs

• Insurance Premiums: Review "Crime" and "Employee Dishonesty" coverage. The reclassification of these offenses to 1st Degree Felonies (depending on volume) may impact your risk profile and premiums.
• Key Management Systems: Budget for secure, electronic key management systems (e.g., KeyTrak) if currently relying on manual pegboards.