A 5369 New York Assembly · 2025 Regular Session

Creates the crime of harassment of a first responder

This bill creates a new crime in New York law: "harassment of a first responder," punishable as a serious misdemeanor. It directly affects anyone who approaches within 25 feet of a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or emergency medical personnel (including volunteers) while they are performing their duties, after being verbally warned to stop. The law prohibits this behavior when the person intends to block the responder’s work, threaten them with harm, or repeatedly cause them serious emotional distress without a legitimate reason. The penalty applies to actions that interfere with critical emergency services during active operations.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Feb 13, 2025 Last action Jan 7, 2026