STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8849 IN ASSEMBLY January 18, 2024 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. SAYEGH -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to including removal or threat of removal of religious clothing as aggravated harassment in the second degree The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 240.30 of the penal law, as 2 amended by chapter 8 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows: 3 3. With the intent to harass, annoy, threaten or alarm another person, 4 he or she strikes, shoves, kicks, or otherwise subjects another person 5 to physical contact, including removing a religious clothing article or 6 headdress from such person, or attempts or threatens to do the same 7 because of a belief or perception regarding such person's race, color, 8 national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, reli- 9 gion, religious practice, age, disability or sexual orientation, regard- 10 less of whether the belief or perception is correct; or 11 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD09843-01-3