New York S 7469: Criminalizes the harassment of a child; and establishes a private right of action for harassment of a child

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S07469 Summary:

BILL NOS07469 

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SAME ASNo Same As

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SPONSORHOYLMAN-SIGAL

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COSPNSRBROUK, COMRIE, FERNANDEZ, GIANARIS, PARKER, SCARCELLA-SPANTON, SKOUFIS

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MLTSPNSR

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Add §260.16, Pen L; add §52-e, Civ Rts L

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Criminalizes the harassment of a child when the perpetrator intentionally or knowingly harasses, annoys or alarms a child or a child's parent or guardian; establishes a private right of action for harassment of a child.

Go to top S07469 Actions:

BILL NOS07469 

&nbsp

04/17/2025REFERRED TO CODES

05/20/20251ST REPORT CAL.1256

05/21/20252ND REPORT CAL.

05/22/2025ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 

06/04/2025PASSED SENATE

06/04/2025DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY

06/04/2025referred to codes

Go to topS07469 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS07469 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS07469 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 7469

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 April 17, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sens. HOYLMAN-SIGAL, BROUK, COMRIE, FERNANDEZ, GIANARIS,
 PARKER, SCARCELLA-SPANTON, SKOUFIS -- 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 criminalizing the harass-
 ment of a child; and to amend the civil rights law, in relation to
 establishing a private right of action for harassment of a child

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. The penal law is amended by adding a new section 260.16 to
 2 read as follows:
 3 § 260.16 Criminal harassment of a child.
 4 1. A person is guilty of criminal harassment of a child when such
 5 person intentionally harasses, annoys or alarms the child of any other
 6 person by knowingly and willfully engaging in conduct directed at a
 7 specific child that seriously alarms, annoys, torments or terrorizes the
 8 child, serves no legitimate purpose, would cause a reasonable child to
 9 suffer substantial emotional distress, and actually causes the child to
 10 suffer substantial emotional distress. Such conduct includes, but is not
 11 limited to:
 12 a. striking, shoving, kicking, or otherwise subjecting such child to
 13 physical contact, or attempting or threatening to do the same;
 14 b. following or lying in wait of a child, provided that for the
 15 purposes of this section, "lying in wait" means holding oneself in a
 16 concealed position to watch and wait for a child;
 17 c. recording or attempting to record a child's image or voice, after
 18 the child, or, if the child is younger than fourteen years old, the
 19 parent or legal guardian of the child has expressed that they do not
 20 consent to the child being recorded, unless the person acts in a reason-
 21 able manner and the recording is of the child:
 22 (i) engaging in public speech or demonstration; or
 23 (ii) attending or participating in a newsworthy public event;

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD08359-01-5

 S. 7469 2

 1 d. engaging in a course of conduct or repeatedly committing acts which
 2 alarm, seriously annoy, or cause emotional distress of a child which
 3 serve no legitimate purpose; or
 4 e. publishing identifying or contact information about the child with-
 5 out the express consent of the parent or legal guardian of the child,
 6 or, if the child is fourteen years old or older, the express consent of
 7 the child.
 8 2. The provisions of this section shall not apply with respect to any
 9 law enforcement personnel engaged in the conduct of their authorized
 10 duties or to any person engaged in otherwise legally mandated activ-
 11 ities.
 12 Criminal harassment of a child is a class A misdemeanor.
 13 § 2. The civil rights law is amended by adding a new section 52-e to
 14 read as follows:
 15 § 52-e. Private right of action for harassment of a child. 1. A
 16 parent or legal guardian whose child was subject to conduct which
 17 constitutes harassment pursuant to subdivision two of this section, may
 18 bring a civil action against the individual that engaged in such conduct
 19 on behalf of th