Bill > S05077

This bill amends the New York penal law to modify the definition of wiretapping by changing the consent requirements for recording telephone or telegraph communications. Currently, the law considers wiretapping as the intentional recording of a communication by someone other than the sender or receiver, without the consent of either party. The proposed bill would require the consent of both the sender and receiver for a recording to be considered legal. This means that recording a communication would now be considered wiretapping if either the sender or receiver has not explicitly agreed to the recording. The bill maintains an exception for normal telephone or telegraph corporation operations and services necessary to protect the corporation's rights or property. The changes aim to provide stronger privacy protections by ensuring that both parties to a communication must consent before the communication can be recorded. The amendment will take effect 30 days after becoming law.