NY State Senate Bill 2025-S1972

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Codes Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 14, 2025	referred to codes

co-Sponsors

2025-S1972 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Codes
Law Section:: Penal Law
Laws Affected:: Add §§235.25, 235.26 & 235.27, Pen L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2017-2018: S5729
2019-2020: S654
2021-2022: S6141
2023-2024: S4978

2025-S1972 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Criminalizes the video recording of the commission of a violent felony and the conspiracy to record such video.

2025-S1972 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S1972

SPONSOR: MURRAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the penal law, in relation to criminalizing the filming
of a violent crime

 
PURPOSE:

To make it a crime to film the commission of a violent felony with the
intent to promote or encourage the commission of the felony

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 adds three new sections 235.25, 235.26, and 235.27 of the
penal law creating the crime of recording a video in the commission of a
violent felony. A person is guilty of this crime when the perpetrator of
the underlying felony recording the commission of the felony, or another
individual conspires with the perpetrator of the underlying felony to
record a video with the intent to encourage or promote the violent felo-
ny.

Section two provides effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

With the rise in use of social media and mobile devices, so has the
propensity to record videos of violent crimes for temporary fame.  This
legislation targets criminal recording videos of themselves committing
violent felonies, or any individuals who may encourage them to promote
depraved acts through filming. An individual who helps the perpetrator
of a violent felony with prior knowledge of the attack is as equally
guilty as the perpetrator who films themselves.  This legislation would
not punish bystanders or the media who report on the incident.

It is in the public interest to deter individuals from making videos of
violent crimes to post on social media. This morally depraved behavior
should not be rewarded through millions of video views.  Individuals who
film themselves committing violent felonies need to be held accountable
for their actions.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2024: S4978 Referred to Codes

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
First of November after it shall have become law.

2025-S1972 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1972
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 14, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sens. MURRAY, ASHBY, GALLIVAN, PALUMBO, WEIK -- read twice
   and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee
   on Codes
 
 AN  ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to criminalizing the filming
   of a violent crime
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The  penal  law  is  amended by adding three new sections
 235.25, 235.26 and 235.27 to read as follows:
 § 235.25 RECORDING A VIDEO OF THE COMMISSION OF A VIOLENT FELONY;  DEFI-
            NITIONS OF TERMS.
   FOR  THE  PURPOSES  OF SECTIONS 235.26 AND 235.27 OF THIS ARTICLE, THE
 TERM "VIOLENT FELONY" MEANS ANY OFFENSE DESCRIBED IN  SECTION  70.02  OF
 THIS CHAPTER.
 § 235.26 RECORDING A VIDEO OF THE COMMISSION OF A VIOLENT FELONY.
   A PERSON IS GUILTY OF RECORDING A VIDEO OF THE COMMISSION OF A VIOLENT
 FELONY WHEN SUCH PERSON:
   1. WILFULLY RECORDS A VIDEO OF THE COMMISSION OF A VIOLENT FELONY WITH
 INTENT  TO PROMOTE OR ENCOURAGE THE COMMISSION OF THE UNDERLYING VIOLENT
 FELONY; OR
   2. CONSPIRES WITH ANOTHER TO RECORD A VIDEO OF  THE  COMMISSION  OF  A
 VIOLENT FELONY WITH INTENT TO PROMOTE OR ENCOURAGE THE COMMISSION OF THE
 UNDERLYING VIOLENT FELONY.
   RECORDING  A  VIDEO OF THE COMMISSION OF A VIOLENT FELONY IS A CLASS E
 FELONY.
 § 235.27 RECORDING A VIDEO OF THE COMMISSION OF A VIOLENT FELONY;  LIMI-
            TATIONS.
   SUBMISSION OF THE VIDEO DESCRIBED IN SECTION 235.26 OF THIS ARTICLE BY
 THE  PERSON  RECORDING THE VIDEO TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AT THE FIRST REASON-
 ABLE OPPORTUNITY MAY BE CONSIDERED AS EVIDENCE THAT  THE  PERSON  LACKED
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04615-01-5
 S. 1972                             2

 
 THE  INTENT  TO  PROMOTE  OR  ENCOURAGE THE COMMISSION OF THE UNDERLYING
 VIOLENT FELONY.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeed-
 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.

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Senate Bill S1972

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Codes Committee

co-Sponsors

2025-S1972 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S1972 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S1972 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S1972 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S1972

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Sponsored By

Dean Murray

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Codes Committee

co-Sponsors

Jacob Ashby

Patrick M. Gallivan

Anthony H. Palumbo

Alexis Weik

2025-S1972 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S1972 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S1972 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S1972 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments