S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1215
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 13, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of A. ROZIC, VANEL, ZEBROWSKI, HYNDMAN, COOK, GLICK,
   DINOWITZ,  GUNTHER,  COLTON,  LAVINE,  AUBRY,  CARROLL,   EICHENSTEIN,
   D. ROSENTHAL,   DICKENS,  SEAWRIGHT,  THIELE,  WILLIAMS,  FALL,  CRUZ,
   SAYEGH, JACOBSON, STIRPE, MILLER, REYES, DiPIETRO, J. M. GIGLIO, MORI-
   NELLO, SMULLEN, DeSTEFANO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A.  SIMON  --
   read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  penal law, in relation to criminal mischief and
   larceny offenses committed at a place  of  religious  worship  and  to
   cemetery desecration
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 2 of  section  145.05  of  the  penal  law,  as
 amended  by chapter 276 of the laws of 2003, is amended and a new subdi-
 vision 3 is added to read as follows:
   2. damages property of another  person  in  an  amount  exceeding  two
 hundred fifty dollars[.]; OR
   3.  DAMAGES  PROPERTY  WHICH, REGARDLESS OF ITS NATURE OR VALUE, IS IN
 ANY BUILDING, STRUCTURE OR UPON THE CURTILAGE OF SUCH BUILDING OR STRUC-
 TURE USED AS A PLACE OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP BY A RELIGIOUS CORPORATION, AS
 INCORPORATED UNDER THE RELIGIOUS CORPORATIONS LAW OR THE EDUCATION  LAW,
 OR USED AS A MUSEUM WHOSE CENTRAL PURPOSE IS RELIGIOUS IN NATURE.
   § 2. Section 145.10 of the penal law, as amended by chapter 961 of the
 laws of 1971, is amended to read as follows:
 § 145.10 Criminal mischief in the second degree.
   A person is guilty of criminal mischief in the second degree when with
 intent  to  damage property of another person, and having no right to do
 so nor any reasonable ground to believe that he OR SHE has  such  right,
 he OR SHE:
   1. damages property of another person in an amount exceeding one thou-
 sand five hundred dollars[.]; OR

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD02490-01-3
 A. 1215                             2
              

 
   2.  DAMAGES PROPERTY WHICH CONSISTS OF A SCROLL, A RELIGIOUS VESTMENT,
 A VESSEL, AN ITEM COMPRISING A DISPLAY OF RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS WHICH  FORMS
 A  REPRESENTATIVE  EXPRESSION OF FAITH OR ANY OTHER ITEM KEPT OR USED IN
 CONNECTION WITH RELIGIOUS WORSHIP IN ANY BUILDING, STRUCTURE OR UPON THE
 CURTILAGE  OF  SUCH  BUILDING  OR STRUCTURE USED AS A PLACE OF RELIGIOUS
 WORSHIP BY A RELIGIOUS CORPORATION, AS INCORPORATED UNDER THE  RELIGIOUS
 CORPORATIONS LAW OR THE EDUCATION LAW, OR USED AS A MUSEUM WHOSE CENTRAL
 PURPOSE IS RELIGIOUS IN NATURE.
   Criminal mischief in the second degree is a class D felony.
   § 3. Section 145.22 of the penal law, as amended by chapter 353 of the
 laws of 2007, is amended to read as follows:
 § 145.22 Cemetery desecration in the [second] THIRD degree.
   A  person  is  guilty  of  cemetery  desecration in the [second] THIRD
 degree when:  (a) with intent to damage property  of  another  person[,]
 and  having  no right to do so nor any reasonable ground to believe that
 he OR SHE has such right, he OR SHE damages any real or personal proper-
 ty USED OR maintained as a cemetery, MAUSOLEUM, COLUMBARIUM, LOT,  plot,
 grave,  burial place, CRYPT, VAULT or other place of interment OR TEMPO-
 RARY STORAGE of human remains OR CREMATED HUMAN REMAINS,  OR  ANY  MONU-
 MENT,  HEADSTONE,  MARKER,  PLAQUE,  STATUE, VASE, URN, DECORATION, FLAG
 HOLDER, OR OTHER EMBELLISHMENT THAT IS LOCATED ON OR ADJACENT TO, OR  IS
 OTHERWISE  ASSOCIATED  WITH,  ANY SUCH CEMETERY, MAUSOLEUM, COLUMBARIUM,
 LOT, PLOT, GRAVE, BURIAL PLACE, CRYPT, VAULT, OR OTHER PLACE  OF  INTER-
 MENT OR TEMPORARY STORAGE; or
   (b)  with intent to steal personal property, he OR SHE steals personal
 property which is located at a cemetery,  MAUSOLEUM,  COLUMBARIUM,  LOT,
 plot,  grave,  burial place, CRYPT, VAULT or other place of interment OR
 TEMPORARY STORAGE of human remains OR CREMATED  HUMAN  REMAINS,  OR  ANY
 MONUMENT, HEADSTONE, MARKER, PLAQUE, STATUE, VASE, URN, DECORATION, FLAG
 HOLDER,  OR OTHER EMBELLISHMENT THAT IS LOCATED ON OR ADJACENT TO, OR IS
 OTHERWISE ASSOCIATED WITH, ANY SUCH  CEMETERY,  MAUSOLEUM,  COLUMBARIUM,
 LOT,  PLOT,  GRAVE, BURIAL PLACE, CRYPT, VAULT, OR OTHER PLACE OF INTER-
 MENT OR TEMPORARY STORAGE, and which property is owned by the person  or
 organization  which maintains or owns such place or the estate, next-of-
 kin or representatives of the deceased person interred OR STORED there.
   Cemetery desecration in the [second] THIRD degree is a class A  misde-
 meanor.
   § 4. Section 145.23 of the penal law, as amended by chapter 353 of the
 laws of 2007, is amended to read as follows:
 § 145.23 Cemetery desecration in the [first] SECOND degree.
   A  person  is  guilty  of  cemetery  desecration in the [first] SECOND
 degree when, with intent to damage property  of  another  person[,]  and
 having no right to do so nor any reasonable ground to believe that he OR
 SHE has such right, he OR SHE:
   (a)  damages  any  real  or  personal property USED OR maintained as a
 cemetery, MAUSOLEUM, COLUMBARIUM, LOT, plot, grave, burial place, CRYPT,
 VAULT or other place of interment OR TEMPORARY STORAGE of human  remains
 OR  CREMATED  HUMAN REMAINS, OR ANY MONUMENT, HEADSTONE, MARKER, PLAQUE,
 STATUE, VASE, URN, DECORATION, FLAG HOLDER, OR OTHER EMBELLISHMENT  THAT
 IS  LOCATED ON OR ADJACENT TO, OR IS OTHERWISE ASSOCIATED WITH, ANY SUCH
 CEMETERY, MAUSOLEUM, COLUMBARIUM, LOT, PLOT, GRAVE, BURIAL PLACE, CRYPT,
 VAULT, OR OTHER PLACE OF INTERMENT OR TEMPORARY STORAGE,  in  an  amount
 exceeding two hundred fifty dollars; or
   (b)  with intent to steal personal property, he OR SHE steals personal
 property, the value of which exceeds two hundred fifty dollars, which is
 located at a cemetery, MAUSOLEUM, COLUMBARIUM, LOT, plot, grave,  burial
 A. 1215                             3
 
 place,  CRYPT, VAULT or other place of interment OR TEMPORARY STORAGE of
 human remains OR CREMATED HUMAN REMAINS,  OR  ANY  MONUMENT,  HEADSTONE,
 MARKER,  PLAQUE,  STATUE,  VASE,  URN, DECORATION, FLAG HOLDER, OR OTHER
 EMBELLISHMENT THAT IS LOCATED ON OR ADJACENT TO, OR IS OTHERWISE ASSOCI-
 ATED  WITH, ANY SUCH CEMETERY, MAUSOLEUM, COLUMBARIUM, LOT, PLOT, GRAVE,
 BURIAL PLACE, CRYPT, VAULT, OR OTHER PLACE  OF  INTERMENT  OR  TEMPORARY
 STORAGE, and which property is owned by the person or organization which
 maintains  or  owns  such  place or the estate, next-of-kin or represen-
 tatives of the deceased person interred there; or
   (c) commits the crime of cemetery desecration in  the  [second]  THIRD
 degree  as defined in section 145.22 of this article and has been previ-
 ously convicted of the crime of cemetery  desecration  in  the  [second]
 THIRD  degree,  CEMETERY  DESECRATION  IN  THE SECOND DEGREE, AGGRAVATED
 CEMETERY DESECRATION IN THE SECOND DEGREE OR AGGRAVATED  CEMETERY  DESE-
 CRATION IN THE FIRST DEGREE within the preceding five years.
   Cemetery desecration in the [first] SECOND degree is a class E felony.
   §  5.  The penal law is amended by adding a new section 145.24 to read
 as follows:
 § 145.24 CEMETERY DESECRATION IN THE FIRST DEGREE.
   A PERSON IS GUILTY OF CEMETERY DESECRATION IN THE FIRST  DEGREE  WHEN,
 WITH  INTENT TO DAMAGE PROPERTY OF ANOTHER PERSON AND HAVING NO RIGHT TO
 DO SO NOR ANY REASONABLE GROUND TO BELIEVE  THAT  HE  OR  SHE  HAS  SUCH
 RIGHT, HE OR SHE:
   (A)  DAMAGES  ANY  REAL  OR  PERSONAL PROPERTY USED OR MAINTAINED AS A
 CEMETERY, MAUSOLEUM, COLUMBARIUM, LOT, PLOT, GRAVE, BURIAL PLACE, CRYPT,
 VAULT OR OTHER PLACE OF INTERMENT OR TEMPORARY STORAGE OF HUMAN  REMAINS
 OR  CREMATED  HUMAN REMAINS, OR ANY MONUMENT, HEADSTONE, MARKER, PLAQUE,
 STATUE, VASE, URN, DECORATION, FLAG HOLDER, OR OTHER EMBELLISHMENT  THAT
 IS  LOCATED ON OR ADJACENT TO, OR IS OTHERWISE ASSOCIATED WITH, ANY SUCH
 CEMETERY, MAUSOLEUM, COLUMBARIUM, LOT, PLOT, GRAVE, BURIAL PLACE, CRYPT,
 VAULT, OR OTHER PLACE OF INTERMENT OR TEMPORARY STORAGE,  IN  AN  AMOUNT
 EXCEEDING TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS; OR
   (B)  WITH INTENT TO STEAL PERSONAL PROPERTY, HE OR SHE STEALS PERSONAL
 PROPERTY, THE VALUE OF WHICH EXCEEDS  TWO  THOUSAND  DOLLARS,  WHICH  IS
 LOCATED  AT A CEMETERY, MAUSOLEUM, COLUMBARIUM, LOT, PLOT, GRAVE, BURIAL
 PLACE, CRYPT, VAULT OR OTHER PLACE OF INTERMENT OR TEMPORARY STORAGE  OF
 HUMAN  REMAINS  OR  CREMATED  HUMAN REMAINS, OR ANY MONUMENT, HEADSTONE,
 MARKER, MEMORIAL, PLAQUE, STATUE, VASE, URN, DECORATION, FLAG HOLDER, OR
 OTHER EMBELLISHMENT THAT IS LOCATED ON OR ADJACENT TO, OR  IS  OTHERWISE
 ASSOCIATED  WITH,  ANY SUCH CEMETERY, MAUSOLEUM, COLUMBARIUM, LOT, PLOT,
 GRAVE, BURIAL PLACE, CRYPT, VAULT, OR OTHER PLACE OF INTERMENT OR TEMPO-
 RARY STORAGE, AND WHICH PROPERTY IS OWNED BY THE PERSON OR  ORGANIZATION
 WHICH  MAINTAINS OR OWNS SUCH PLACE OR THE ESTATE, NEXT-OF-KIN OR REPRE-
 SENTATIVES OF THE DECEASED PERSON INTERRED THERE; OR
   (C) COMMITS THE CRIME OF CEMETERY DESECRATION IN THE SECOND DEGREE  AS
 DEFINED  IN  SECTION  145.23  OF  THIS  ARTICLE  AND HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY
 CONVICTED OF THE CRIME OF CEMETERY  DESECRATION  IN  THE  THIRD  DEGREE,
 CEMETERY  DESECRATION  IN THE SECOND DEGREE, CEMETERY DESECRATION IN THE
 FIRST DEGREE, AGGRAVATED CEMETERY DESECRATION IN THE  SECOND  DEGREE  OR
 AGGRAVATED CEMETERY DESECRATION IN THE FIRST DEGREE.
   CEMETERY DESECRATION IN THE FIRST DEGREE IS A CLASS D FELONY.
   §  6.  Section  60.29 of the penal law, as added by chapter 165 of the
 laws of 1997, is amended to read as follows:
 § 60.29 Authorized disposition; cemetery desecration.
   When a person is convicted of an offense  defined  in  section  145.22
 [or],  145.23, OR 145.24 of this chapter or of an attempt to commit such
 A. 1215                             4
 
 an offense, and the sentence imposed by the court  for  such  conviction
 includes a sentence of probation or conditional discharge, such sentence
 shall,  where appropriate, be in accordance with paragraph (h) of subdi-
 vision  two  of  section  65.10  of this [article] TITLE as such section
 relates to cemetery crime.
   § 7. Paragraph (h) of subdivision 2 of section 65.10 of the penal law,
 as amended by chapter 508 of the laws of 2001, is  amended  to  read  as
 follows:
   (h) Perform services for a public or not-for-profit corporation, asso-
 ciation,  institution,  or agency, including but not limited to services
 for the division of substance abuse services, services in an appropriate
 community program for removal of graffiti from public or private proper-
 ty, including  any  property  damaged  in  the  underlying  offense,  or
 services  for  the  maintenance  and repair of real or personal property
 USED OR maintained as a cemetery,  MAUSOLEUM,  COLUMBARIUM,  LOT,  plot,
 grave, burial place, CRYPT, VAULT, or other place of interment OR TEMPO-
 RARY  STORAGE  of  human remains OR CREMATED HUMAN REMAINS, OR ANY MONU-
 MENT, HEADSTONE, MARKER, PLAQUE, STATUE,  VASE,  URN,  DECORATION,  FLAG
 HOLDER,  OR OTHER EMBELLISHMENT THAT IS LOCATED ON OR ADJACENT TO, OR IS
 OTHERWISE ASSOCIATED WITH, ANY SUCH  CEMETERY,  MAUSOLEUM,  COLUMBARIUM,
 LOT,  PLOT,  GRAVE, BURIAL PLACE, CRYPT, VAULT, OR OTHER PLACE OF INTER-
 MENT OR TEMPORARY STORAGE.  Provided, however, that the  performance  of
 any such services shall not result in the displacement of employed work-
 ers  or  in the impairment of existing contracts for services, nor shall
 the performance of any such services be required  or  permitted  in  any
 establishment  involved  in  any labor strike or lockout.  The court may
 establish  provisions  for  the  early  termination  of  a  sentence  of
 probation  or conditional discharge pursuant to the provisions of subdi-
 vision three of section 410.90 of the criminal procedure law after  such
 services  have  been  completed.  Such sentence may only be imposed upon
 conviction of a misdemeanor, violation, or class D or class E felony, or
 a youthful offender finding replacing any  such  conviction,  where  the
 defendant has consented to the amount and conditions of such service;
   §  8.  Subdivision 9 of section 155.30 of the penal law, as amended by
 chapter 479 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
   9. The property [consists of a scroll, religious vestment,  a  vessel,
 an  item  comprising a display of religious symbols which forms a repre-
 sentative expression of faith, or other miscellaneous item  of  property
 which:
   (a) has a value of at least one hundred dollars; and
   (b)  is  kept  for  or  used in connection with religious worship in],
 REGARDLESS OF ITS NATURE OR VALUE, IS TAKEN FROM any building, structure
 or upon the curtilage of such building or structure used as a  place  of
 religious  worship by a religious corporation, as incorporated under the
 religious corporations law or the education law.
   § 9. Section 155.35 of the penal law, as amended by chapter 464 of the
 laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
 § 155.35 Grand larceny in the third degree.
   A person is guilty of grand larceny in the third degree when he or she
 steals property and:
   1. when the value of the property exceeds three  thousand  dollars[,];
 or
   2.  the  property is an automated teller machine or the contents of an
 automated teller machine[.]; OR
   3.  THE PROPERTY CONSISTS OF A SCROLL, A RELIGIOUS VESTMENT, A VESSEL,
 AN ITEM COMPRISING A DISPLAY OF RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS WHICH FORM A REPRESEN-
 A. 1215                             5

 TATIVE EXPRESSION OF FAITH OR ANY OTHER ITEM KEPT OR USED IN  CONNECTION
 WITH  RELIGIOUS WORSHIP IN ANY BUILDING, STRUCTURE OR UPON THE CURTILAGE
 OF SUCH BUILDING OR STRUCTURE USED AS A PLACE OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP BY  A
 RELIGIOUS  CORPORATION, AS INCORPORATED UNDER THE RELIGIOUS CORPORATIONS
 LAW OR THE EDUCATION LAW, OR USED AS A MUSEUM WHOSE CENTRAL  PURPOSE  IS
 RELIGIOUS IN NATURE.
   Grand larceny in the third degree is a class D felony.
   §  10. Subdivision 2 of section 155.40 of the penal law, as amended by
 chapter 515 of the laws of 1986, is amended and a new subdivision  3  is
 added to read as follows:
   2.  The  property,  regardless of its nature and value, is obtained by
 extortion committed by instilling in the victim a fear that the actor or
 another person will (a) cause physical injury  to  some  person  in  the
 future,  or  (b) cause damage to property, or (c) use or abuse his posi-
 tion as a public servant by engaging in conduct within or related to his
 official duties, or by failing or refusing to perform an official  duty,
 in such manner as to affect some person adversely[.]; OR
   3.  THE PROPERTY CONSISTS OF A SCROLL, A RELIGIOUS VESTMENT, A VESSEL,
 AN ITEM COMPRISING A DISPLAY OF RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS WHICH FORMS  A  REPRE-
 SENTATIVE EXPRESSION OF FAITH, OR OTHER ITEM OF PROPERTY WHICH:
   (A) HAS A VALUE OF AT LEAST TWO HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS; AND
   (B)  IS  KEPT  FOR OR USED IN CONNECTION WITH RELIGIOUS WORSHIP IN ANY
 BUILDING, STRUCTURE OR UPON THE CURTILAGE OF SUCH BUILDING OR  STRUCTURE
 USED  AS  A  PLACE  OF  RELIGIOUS WORSHIP BY A RELIGIOUS CORPORATION, AS
 INCORPORATED UNDER THE RELIGIOUS CORPORATIONS LAW OR THE EDUCATION  LAW,
 OR USED AS A MUSEUM WHOSE CENTRAL PURPOSE IS RELIGIOUS IN NATURE.
   §  11.  This  act  shall  take  effect  on  the first of November next
 succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.