The New York State Senate

                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  6127

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                             March 16, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by M. of A. CLARK -- read once and referred to the Committee
  on Education

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to prohibiting cyber-bul-
  lying

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Legislative intent.  The legislature finds that:
  a.  Bullying  is a long-standing problem among school-aged children in
New York state and throughout the nation. With increasing  accessibility
to  electronic  means  of communication, bullying has transformed from a
predominantly school-based issue to a broader societal problem.
  b. Researchers have demonstrated that bullying  has  long-term  conse-
quences.  Further, bullying goes beyond the classroom to bullying on the
job, on athletic teams, on college campuses and the internet.
  c. Experts researching bullying  have  suggested  that  one  tool  for
schools  to  use  in  combatting  bullying  is  to  maintain and enforce
consistent policies against bullying and  harassment,  including  cyber-
bullying.  Such  enforcement  is  not always possible if bullying occurs
away from school or by a non-student.
  d. Perpetrators of  cyber-bullying  are  often  more  extreme  in  the
threats and taunts they inflict on their victims, as they do not actual-
ly  see  their victim's emotional reaction to the abuse and believe that
they are anonymous. Victims of cyber-bullying suffer very real and seri-
ous harm as  a  result  of  these  incidents,  often  showing  signs  of
depression, anxiety, social isolation, nervousness when interacting with
technology,  low  self-esteem  and declining school performance. In some
cases, victims attempt or commit suicide in part because of cyber-bully-
ing they've endured.
  e. Enactment of this act  is  necessary  and  appropriate  to  further
ensure  that  New  York  state's  public  schools are safe and free from
cyber-bullying.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD02133-01-5

A. 6127                             2

  S 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 2803 to read
as follows:
  S  2803.  CYBER-BULLYING.  1.  AS  USED IN THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING
TERMS SHALL MEAN AS FOLLOWS:
  A. CYBER-BULLYING SHALL MEAN ENGAGING IN A REPEATED COURSE OF COMMUNI-
CATION, OR REPEATEDLY CAUSING A COMMUNICATION TO BE SENT, BY  MECHANICAL
OR  ELECTRONIC  MEANS,  POSTING  STATEMENTS ON THE INTERNET OR THROUGH A
COMPUTER NETWORK WITH NO LEGITIMATE COMMUNICATION PURPOSE  WHICH  CAUSES
ALARM  OR  SERIOUS  ANNOYANCE,  OR  IS  LIKELY TO CAUSE ALARM OR SERIOUS
ANNOYANCE.
  B. MINOR SHALL MEAN ANY NATURAL PERSON OR INDIVIDUAL UNDER THE AGE  OF
EIGHTEEN.
  C. PERSON SHALL MEAN ANY NATURAL PERSON OR INDIVIDUAL.
  2.  NO PERSON SHALL ENGAGE IN CYBER-BULLYING AGAINST ANY MINOR.
  3.  ANY  PERSON  WHO KNOWINGLY VIOLATES THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION
SHALL BE GUILTY OF AN UNCLASSIFIED MISDEMEANOR PUNISHABLE BY A  FINE  OF
UP TO ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS AND/OR UP TO ONE YEAR IMPRISONMENT.
  4.  THIS  SECTION SHALL APPLY TO ALL ACTIONS OCCURRING ON OR AFTER THE
EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION.
  5. IF ANY CLAUSE, SENTENCE, PARAGRAPH OR PART OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE
ADJUDGED BY ANY COURT OF COMPETENT  JURISDICTION  TO  BE  INVALID,  SUCH
JUDGMENT  SHALL  NOT AFFECT, IMPAIR OR INVALIDATE THE REMAINDER THEREOF,
BUT SHALL BE CONFINED IN ITS OPERATION TO THE  CLAUSE,  SENTENCE,  PARA-
GRAPH OR PART THEREOF DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE CONTROVERSY IN WHICH SUCH
JUDGMENT SHALL HAVE BEEN RENDERED.
  S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.