BILL NUMBER: S3935
SPONSOR: SKOUFIS
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the penal law, in relation to creating the crime of
aggravated harassment of a survivor of domestic violence or sexual
assault
 
PURPOSE:
To better protect survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse from
cyberbullying.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Amends the Penal Law to add a new section 240.34, Aggravated
harassment of a survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault. A
person is guilty of aggravated harassment of a survivor of domestic
violence or sexual assault when he or she commits the crime of aggra-
vated harassment in the second degree with a belief or perception that
the victim is a survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault. Aggra-
vated harassment of a survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault is
a class E felony.
Section 2: Sets effective date
 
JUSTIFICATION:
For people who have survived the trauma of domestic violence or sexual
assault, the consequences of cyberbullying (codified in the penal law as
aggravated harassment in the second degree) can be devastating. Suppose
someone knowingly cyberbullies a survivor of domestic violence or sexual
assault. In that case, he or she should face harsher penalties to
reflect the increased damage his or her actions can do to the victim.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
Senate
2019:N/A
2020:S8080, Referred to Codes
2021:S1880, Referred to Codes
2022:S1880, Referred to Codes
2023:S2789, Referred to Codes
2024:S2789, Referred to Codes
Assembly
2019:
2020: No Assembly Same-As
2021: A8687, Referred to Codes
2022: A8687, Referred to Codes
2023: A8687, Referred to Codes
2024: A7922, Referred to Codes
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeeding the
date upon which it shall have become a law.