New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

New York Assembly Bill A10819

Introduced
4/1/26  

Caption

Includes wearing, carrying, or displaying an emblem, insignia, logo or other symbol of a designated foreign terrorist organization in a public place in a manner reasonably understood to be a threat or act of intimidation directed at a person or group of people as aggravated harassment in the first degree.

Impact

If enacted, A10819 will have a substantial impact on the penal code and affect how incidents of perceived intimidation are legally classified and prosecuted in New York. By creating a direct link between the display of terrorist organization symbols and aggravated harassment, the bill provides law enforcement with a clearer framework for addressing situations where individuals or groups may feel threatened. This is likely to expand the parameters under which offenders can be prosecuted, thereby enhancing public safety concerns related to harassment and intimidation in public spaces.

Summary

Assembly Bill A10819 seeks to amend the penal law by redefining the parameters of aggravated harassment in the first degree. The bill explicitly includes the act of wearing, carrying, or displaying an emblem, insignia, logo, or another symbol of a designated foreign terrorist organization in a public place if it is reasonably understood to be a threat or act of intimidation directed at a person or group. This amendment signifies an important shift in how state law approaches symbols associated with terrorism and intimidation, potentially expanding the scope of existing harassment laws.

Contention

Notable points of contention surrounding A10819 include discussions on the potential implications for free speech and expression. Critics may argue that the bill could inadvertently criminalize individuals expressing political beliefs or affiliations through clothing or symbols, even if no intent to intimidate is present. Additionally, there might be concerns regarding the definition of 'designated foreign terrorist organization,' which could lead to subjective interpretations and enforcement challenges, thus fostering debate over civil liberties versus public safety.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

NY A07632

Expands the offense of aggravated harassment in the first degree to include etching, painting, drawing upon or otherwise placing or displaying emblems, logos, flags or other symbols of designated terrorist organizations on any building or other real property without express permission of the owner or operator of such building or real property.

NY A09127

Includes aggravated threat of mass harm, making a threat of mass harm, aggravated harassment in the second degree, harassment in the first degree, menacing in the third degree, menacing in the second degree, menacing in the first degree, and aggravated harassment in the first degree in being eligible for bail; makes aggravated threat of mass harm and making a threat of mass harm eligible to be considered hate crimes; increases the penalties for aggravated threat of mass harm and making a threat of mass harm.

NY S08476

Increases criminal penalties for aggravated harassment of an elected official and criminal trespass of an elected official's residence; provides that aggravated harassment of an elected official shall be a class E felony and criminal trespass of an elected official's residence shall be included in criminal trespass in the first degree and shall be a class D felony.

NY A09061

Relates to creating the crime of aggravated harassment of a survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault.

NY A04322

Relates to aggravated harassment in the first degree; includes the display of a swastika in public view in aggravated harassment in the first degree.

NY S07051

Relates to aggravated harassment in the first degree; includes the display of a swastika in public view in aggravated harassment in the first degree.

NY A09129

Requires lifetime post-release supervision for offenders convicted of rape in the first degree, criminal sexual act in the first degree, aggravated sexual abuse in the first degree, course of sexual conduct against a child in the first and second degrees or sexual abuse in the first degree when the other person is less than eleven years old; prohibits good behavior allowances against a determinate sentence for a person convicted of any such crimes.

NY A06926

Includes nonconsensual use of bodily fluids and matter in harassment in the first degree and aggravated harassment in the first degree; includes strikes, shoves and kicks in aggravated harassment in the first degree.

NY A07215

Establishes the false reporting survivors act which establishes the crimes of aggravated falsely reporting an incident in the first, second, and third degrees when a person commits the crime of falsely reporting an incident in the first, second, or third degree and such person intended to harass, annoy, threaten, or alarm another person because of a belief or perception regarding a person's race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or ethnicity; authorizes officers to arrest persons believed to have committed falsely reporting an incident without first obtaining a warrant; includes such falsely reporting as a hate crime; authorizes the law enforcement misconduct investigative office to receive and investigate complaints alleging falsely reporting an incident; establishes databases of law enforcement officers and persons convicted of falsely reporting; requires notifying persons of the termination of certain criminal actions or proceedings; relates to the statute of limitations for filing an action relating to falsely reporting.

NY S01119

Provides that the display of symbols of Nazi Germany in a public location in a manner that is likely to cause another person to feel harassed, annoyed, threatened or alarmed, or to incite violence, shall be aggravated harassment.

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.