What's happening
This bill creates the crime of doxing police, peace, or state officers or their families, making it a class D felony.
Why it matters
Expands criminal liability for doxing. The bill specifically targets the act of publishing restricted personal information about police, peace, or state officers (or their immediate family) with intent to threaten, intimidate, or incite violence, making it a felony. This is a significant escalation from civil remedies or lesser charges that might currently apply, increasing the legal risks for those who publish such information.
Broadens “doxing” protections to families. By including immediate family members of officers, the law recognizes that threats and intimidation can extend beyond the officers themselves. This could deter attempts to harass or endanger officers through indirect means, but also raises questions about how “restricted personal information” and “immediate family” are defined and enforced.
Impacts bail and pretrial detention. The bill amends several sections of the criminal procedure law to make doxing of officers a “qualifying offense” for bail. This means those charged under this law can be held in jail before trial, rather than being released on their own recognizance or with non-monetary conditions—unlike many other non-violent felonies in New York, where pretrial detention is more limited.
Potential implications for free speech and activism. While aimed at protecting officers, the broad language could have chilling effects on journalists, activists, or watchdogs who share information about public officials, especially if intent to intimidate or facilitate a crime is alleged. The bill’s interpretation and enforcement could draw scrutiny regarding First Amendment rights and governmental transparency.
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Headline styles
Make Doxxing Police a Crime
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Make Doxing Cops a Crime
In Senate Committee · Codes · Sponsor Patrick M. Gallivan
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
513
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. WOERNER, GLICK, SIMPSON, GIGLIO, MANKTELOW, DURSO, ANGELINO, K. BROWN, STERN, COLTON, RAMOS, BENDETT, GRAY, BRABE- NEC, MAHER, FITZPATRICK, TAGUE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law and the criminal procedure law, in relation to establishing the crime of doxing a police officer, peace officer, or state officer
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The penal law is amended by adding a new section 240.34 to read as follows: § 240.34 Doxing a police officer, peace officer, or state officer.
A person is guilty of doxing a police officer, peace officer, or state officer when such person knowingly makes restricted personal information about a police officer, peace officer, state officer, or a member of the immediate family of such officer, publicly available:
1. With the intent to threaten, intimidate, or incite the commission of a crime of violence against the police officer, peace officer, state officer, or a member of the immediate family of such officer; or
2. With the intent and knowledge that the restricted personal information will be used to threaten, intimidate, or facilitate the commission of a crime of violence against the police officer, peace officer, state officer, or a member of the immediate family of such officer.
Under this section, police officer and peace officer are as defined under section 1.20 of the criminal procedure law, and state officer is as defined under section two of the public officers law.
Doxing of a police officer, peace officer, or state officer shall be a class D felony.
§ 2. Paragraphs (t) and (u) of subdivision 4 of section 510.10 of the criminal procedure law, paragraph (t) as amended and paragraph (u) as
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00750-01-5
added by section 2 of subpart B of part UU of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, are amended and a new paragraph (v) is added to read as follows:
(t) any felony or class A misdemeanor involving harm to an identifiable person or property, or any charge of criminal possession of a firearm as defined in section 265.01-b of the penal law, where such charge arose from conduct occurring while the defendant was released on [his or her] their own recognizance, released under conditions, or had yet to be arraigned after the issuance of a desk appearance ticket for a separate felony or class A misdemeanor involving harm to an identifiable person or property, or any charge of criminal possession of a firearm as defined in section 265.01-b of the penal law, provided, however, that the prosecutor must show reasonable cause to believe that the defendant committed the instant crime and any underlying crime. For the purposes of this subparagraph, any of the underlying crimes need not be a qualifying offense as defined in this subdivision. For the purposes of this paragraph, "harm to an identifiable person or property" shall include but not be limited to theft of or damage to property. However, based upon a review of the facts alleged in the accusatory instrument, if the court determines that such theft is negligible and does not appear to be in furtherance of other criminal activity, the principal shall be released on [his or her] their own recognizance or under appropriate non-monetary conditions; [or]
(u) criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree as defined in subdivision three of section 265.02 of the penal law or criminal sale of a firearm to a minor as defined in section 265.16 of the penal law[.]; or
(v) doxing a police officer, peace officer, or state officer as defined under section 240.34 of the penal law.
§ 3. Subparagraphs (xx) and (xxi) of paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 of section 530.20 of the criminal procedure law, paragraph (xx) as amended and paragraph (xxi) as added by section 4 of subpart C of part UU of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, are amended and a new subparagraph (xxii) is added to read as follows:
(xx) any felony or class A misdemeanor involving harm to an identifiable person or property, or any charge of criminal possession of a firearm as defined in section 265.01-b of the penal law where such charge arose from conduct occurring while the defendant was released on [his or her] their own recognizance, released under conditions, or had yet to be arraigned after the issuance of a desk appearance ticket for a separate felony or class A misdemeanor involving harm to an identifiable person or property, provided, however, that the prosecutor must show reasonable cause to believe that the defendant committed the instant crime and any underlying crime. For the purposes of this subparagraph, any of the underlying crimes need not be a qualifying offense as defined in this subdivision. For the purposes of this paragraph, "harm to an identifiable person or property" shall include but not be limited to theft of or damage to property. However, based upon a review of the facts alleged in the accusatory instrument, if the court determines that such theft is negligible and does not appear to be in furtherance of other criminal activity, the principal shall be released on [his or her] their own recognizance or under appropriate non-monetary conditions; [or]
(xxi) criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree as defined in subdivision three of section 265.02 of the penal law or criminal sale of a firearm to a minor as defined in section 265.16 of the penal law[.]; or
(xxii) doxing a police officer, peace officer, or state officer as defined under section 240.34 of the penal law.
§ 4. Paragraphs (t) and (u) of subdivision 4 of section 530.40 of the criminal procedure law, paragraph (t) as amended and paragraph (u) as added by section 4 of subpart B of part UU of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, are amended and a new paragraph (v) is added to read as follows:
(t) any felony or class A misdemeanor involving harm to an identifiable person or property, or any charge of criminal possession of a firearm as defined in section 265.01-b of the penal law, where such charge arose from conduct occurring while the defendant was released on [his or her] their own recognizance, released under conditions, or had yet to be arraigned after the issuance of a desk appearance ticket for a separate felony or class A misdemeanor involving harm to an identifiable person or property, or any charge of criminal possession of a firearm as defined in section 265.01-b of the penal law, provided, however, that the prosecutor must show reasonable cause to believe that the defendant committed the instant crime and any underlying crime. For the purposes of this subparagraph, any of the underlying crimes need not be a qualifying offense as defined in this subdivision. For the purposes of this paragraph, "harm to an identifiable person or property" shall include but not be limited to theft of or damage to property. However, based upon a review of the facts alleged in the accusatory instrument, if the court determines that such theft is negligible and does not appear to be in furtherance of other criminal activity, the principal shall be released on [his or her] their own recognizance or under appropriate non-monetary conditions; [or]
(u) criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree as defined in subdivision three of section 265.02 of the penal law or criminal sale of a firearm to a minor as defined in section 265.16 of the penal law[.]; or
(v) doxing a police officer, peace officer, or state officer as defined under section 240.34 of the penal law.
§ 5. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.
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.