NY State Senate Bill S2450

Current Bill Status - Passed Senate

Introduced
In Committee
On Floor Calendar
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
Delivered to Governor
Signed/Vetoed by Governor

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Actions

view actions (7)

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Mar 21, 2023	referred to codes delivered to assembly passed senate
Mar 16, 2023	advanced to third reading
Mar 15, 2023	2nd report cal.
Mar 13, 2023	1st report cal.467
Jan 20, 2023	referred to codes

Votes

Co-Sponsors

S2450 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A3883
Current Committee:: Assembly Codes
Law Section:: Penal Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §240.30, Pen L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2017-2018: S9148, A11344
2019-2020: S2636, A231
2021-2022: S1477, A544

S2450 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Includes contacts via text, email, private message, direct message or other electronic communication in the definition of the offense of aggravated harassment in the second degree.

S2450 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

 
BILL NUMBER: S2450

SPONSOR: KRUEGER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the penal law, in relation to including contacts via
text, private message, direct message, email or other electronic commu-
nication in the definition of the offense of aggravated harassment in
the second degree

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To treat electronic communications with intent to harass or threaten
another person under the same standard as telephone calls.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Amends Subdivision two of Section 240.30 of the penal law to include
contacts via text, private message, direct message, or email or other
electronic communication in the definition of the offense of aggravated
harassment in the second degree.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Existing law treats telephone calls made with an intent to harass or
threaten an individual as aggravated harassment in the second degree, a
Class A misdemeanor, but does not have any provision related to elec-
tronic communications such as text or email. As technology has evolved,
forms of harassment have also evolved, and updating New York's penal law
to reflect these changes will help protect New Yorkers from these new
forms of harassment.

A recent incident where multiple individuals were sent unsolicited and
unwanted text messages with sexually graphic images from the same indi-
vidual highlights the need to update the law. Law 'enforcement represen-
tatives indicated that under existing law such communications could only
be treated as harassment in the second degree, a violation. Since
violations can only be charged in cases where law enforcement witnesses
the offence, no charges could be brought in this case. By updating the
law to treat texts, private messages, emails and other electronic commu-
nications under the same standard as phone calls, this legislation will
provide law enforcement with greater ability to address this new form of
harassment.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2021-22: S.1477a/ A.544a Braunstein - Passed Senate

2019-20: S.2636/A.231 Braunstein - Passed Senate

2017-18: S.9148/A.11344 Braunstein - Codes

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
The first of November next succeeding the date upon which it shall have
become law.

S2450 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2450
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 20, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  KRUEGER,  GALLIVAN, LIU -- read twice and ordered
   printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes
 
 AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation  to  including  contacts  via
   text,  private  message,  direct  message,  email  or other electronic
   communication in the definition of the offense of  aggravated  harass-
   ment in the second degree
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 2 of  section  240.30  of  the  penal  law,  as
 amended  by  chapter  188  of  the  laws  of 2014, is amended to read as
 follows:
   2. With intent to harass or threaten another person, he or she makes a
 telephone call, OR CONTACTS VIA TEXT, PRIVATE MESSAGE,  DIRECT  MESSAGE,
 EMAIL  OR  OTHER ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION, whether or not a conversation
 ensues, with no purpose of legitimate communication; or
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeed-
 ing the date upon which it shall have become a  law.    Effective  imme-
 diately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation
 necessary  for  the implementation of this act on its effective date are
 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
 
 
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05156-01-3

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The New York State Senate

senate Bill S2450

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - Passed Senate

Your Voice

Actions

Votes

Mar 21, 2023 - floor Vote

Floor Vote: Mar 21, 2023

Mar 13, 2023 - Codes committee Vote

Codes Committee Vote: Mar 13, 2023

Co-Sponsors

S2450 (ACTIVE) - Details

S2450 (ACTIVE) - Summary

S2450 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

S2450 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

senate Bill S2450

Share this bill

Sponsored By

Liz Krueger

Current Bill Status - Passed Senate

Your Voice

Actions

Votes

Mar 21, 2023 - floor Vote

Floor Vote: Mar 21, 2023

Mar 13, 2023 - Codes committee Vote

Codes Committee Vote: Mar 13, 2023

Co-Sponsors

Patrick M. Gallivan

Pamela Helming

John C. Liu

Rachel May

Rob Rolison

S2450 (ACTIVE) - Details

S2450 (ACTIVE) - Summary

S2450 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

S2450 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments