Penalties for forgery

(a) A person who commits the offense of forgery in the first degree shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than 15 years. (b) A person who commits the offense of forgery in the second degree shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years. (c) A person who commits the offense of forgery in the third degree shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years. (d) A person who commits the offense of forgery in the fourth degree shall be guilty of a misdemeanor; provided, however, that upon the third and all subsequent convictions for such offense, the defendant shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years. (Code 1933, § 26-1702, enacted by Ga. L. 1968, p. 1249, § 1; Ga. L. 1969, p. 857, § 6; Ga. L. 1982, p. 3, § 16; Ga. L. 2012, p. 899, § 3-5/HB 1176.) Editor’s notes. — Ga. L. 2012, p. 899, § 9-1(a)/HB 1176, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: ‘‘This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2012, and shall apply to offenses which occur on or after that date. Any offense occurring before July 1, 2012, shall be governed by the statute in effect at the time of such offense and shall be considered a prior conviction for the purpose of imposing a sentence that provides for a different penalty for a subsequent conviction for the same type of offense, of whatever degree or level, pursuant to this Act.’’