Bill > A05756

This bill amends the New York penal law to create a new criminal offense specifically targeting individuals who intentionally attempt to make first responders, including correction officers, come into contact with saliva through actions like spitting, throwing, or expelling bodily fluid. The new provision makes such behavior a crime when done with the intent to harass, annoy, threaten, or alarm the first responder, and where the perpetrator knows or should reasonably know the victim is a first responder. By adding this specific language to section 240.30 of the penal law, the bill provides legal protection for first responders against what can be a particularly dangerous and demeaning form of assault, potentially allowing for more precise prosecution of such actions. The bill would take effect immediately upon passage, signaling the urgent nature of providing this additional legal protection for those who serve in critical public safety roles.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A5756