Bill > S07271

This bill amends the New York State Penal Law to expand the definition of criminal mischief in the third degree by adding a new provision that makes it a crime to deliberately damage another person's property specifically to promote, suppress, or express a political ideology. The bill modifies existing language around criminal mischief, replacing gendered terms like "he or she" with gender-neutral language like "they" and "such person", and adds a third subdivision to the criminal mischief statute. Previously, criminal mischief in the third degree was defined primarily by the monetary value of property damage (exceeding $250), but this new provision creates an additional criteria focused on the motivation behind the property damage. The bill will take effect on the first of November following its passage into law, which means it introduces a new legal standard that considers political ideology as a factor in determining criminal liability for property damage.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S7271