What's happening
Writing a plain-English summary… Track this bill to get it by email.
Why it matters
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to codes
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the penal law, in relation to aggravated harassment in the first degree
Purpose
The purpose of this legislation is to include the display of a swastika on a billboard, aerial display or by a similar method for uninvited public viewing.
Summary of provisions
This legislation will amend Section 240.31(4) of the Penal Law to add that it be prohibited to display a swastika on a billboard, aerial display or by a similar method for uninvited public viewing.
Justification
A banner attached to a plane flew over the ocean on Long island on July 10, 2015 containing a swastika, among other symbols. This incident also occurred in July 2014. The current law states that one cannot "harass, annoy, threaten or alarm another person because of a because of a belief or perception regarding such person's race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious practice, age, disability or sexual orientation, regardless of whether the belief or perception is correct."
It goes on to state that one violates the law when he/she "etches, paints, draws upon or otherwise places a swastika, commonly exhibited as the emblem of Nazi Germany, on any building or other real property, public or private, owned by any person, firm or corporation or any public agency or instrumentality, without express permission of the owner or operator of such building or real property."
This legislation would expand on subsection 4 of. Section 240.31(4) of the Penal Law, which states that the one violates the law when he/she "Sets on fire a cross in public view", to prohibit the display of a swastika in the air for uninvited public viewing as a form of harassment. Residents occupying public spaces should not be subject to displays of hateful symbols.
This bill will ensure that beachgoers are no longer forced to watch a swastika -- a symbol of hatred and terror- while recreating at our beaches and other public spaces.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.