What's happening
This bill creates the crime of willfully disrupting or disturbing a lawful assembly or meeting, punishable by a fine.
Why it matters
Defines "willful disturbance" with a clear two-part test. , requiring that the conduct both substantially disrupts the meeting and violates known or should-have-known customs or explicit rules—raising the bar above mere disagreement or minor interruptions, and possibly making enforcement more predictable but potentially subjective.
Explicitly protects lawful protest and viewpoint expression. as long as it does not cross into substantial disruption, aiming to balance free speech rights with the ability of groups to conduct orderly meetings—this matters for activists, students, and anyone concerned about First Amendment protections.
Makes disregard for a moderator’s order automatic proof of willfulness. , meaning that anyone continuing disruptive behavior after being called out could face penalties, which could have a chilling effect on protest tactics or dissent at public meetings.
Applies to any peaceful assembly of two or more people with lawful use of space. , so the law could affect a broad range of settings—from city council meetings and campus events to community forums—potentially impacting both organizers and attendees at many types of gatherings.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Disrupting Lawful Meetings
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
22 Co-sponsors
- Andrew Hevesi
- Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn
- Simcha Eichenstein
- Edward Braunstein
- Jeffrey Dinowitz
- Stacey Pheffer Amato
- Jaime R. Williams
- Christopher Eachus
- Brian Cunningham
- Albert A. Stirpe
- Billy Jones
- William Colton
- Amy Paulin
- Angelo Santabarbara
- Steve Stern
- MaryJane Shimsky
- Joe Angelino
- Michael Benedetto
- Marianne Buttenschon
- Jonathan Rivera
- Charles Fall
- Jake Ryan Blumencranz
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
196
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. BERGER, HEVESI, BICHOTTE HERMELYN, EICHENSTEIN, BRAUNSTEIN, DINOWITZ, PHEFFER AMATO, WILLIAMS, EACHUS, CUNNINGHAM, STIRPE, JONES, COLTON, PAULIN, SANTABARBARA, STERN, ROZIC, SHIMSKY, ANGELINO, BENEDETTO, BUTTENSCHON, RIVERA, FALL, BLUMENCRANZ -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to establishing the crime of disruption or disturbance of a lawful assembly
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "dialogue and decorum act".
§ 2. The penal law is amended by adding a new section 240.22 to read as follows: § 240.22 Disruption or disturbance of a lawful assembly.
1. A person is guilty of disruption or disturbance of a lawful assembly when such person, without authority of law, willfully disturbs or breaks up any assembly or meeting that is not unlawful in its character.
2. For purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) "Willfully disturbs" shall mean:
(i) the conduct substantially impairs the ability to conduct a lawful meeting or assembly; and
(ii) the conduct is in violation of the implicit customs or usage of the specific kind of meeting or assembly, or the explicit rules governing the meeting or assembly, where the disrupting party knew or reasonably should have known such conduct was in violation.
(b) "Lawful assembly" shall mean a group of two or more individuals who legally reserve a space or area with an institution or other space lawfully available to those conducting such assembly or meeting, and who
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00823-01-5
use such space or area to peacefully assemble for any purpose not expressly prohibited by law.
3. Disregard of a moderator's call to order or a determination that a person is in violation of the rules of an assembly or meeting shall be proof that a disruption is willful.
4. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit:
(i) persons from articulating a particular viewpoint at an assembly or meeting that is not unlawful in its character; or
(ii) non-disruptive protests of a lawful assembly or meeting;
Disruption or disturbance of a lawful assembly is an unclassified misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars nor more than five hundred dollars.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.