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S 10067

Relates to certain crimes of interference with religious worship

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Joe Griffo and 3 co-sponsors

The bill creates new second- and first-degree offenses for interfering with reproductive health services or entry to places of worship, including a 100-foot demonstration radius an

REFERRED TO CODES
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Bill Summary · S 10067

Bill Summary: S 10067 (New York) – Relates to certain crimes of interference with religious worship

Purpose and intent

  • This bill amends the Penal Law to create, modify, and clarify offenses surrounding interference with health care services and access to places of religious worship, with an emphasis on both reproductive health services and religious freedom.
  • It introduces a second-degree offense for criminal interference with health care services or access to a place of religious worship, and creates a first-degree offense for repeat or aggravated cases.

Key provisions and changes

  • New second-degree offense ( Penal Law §240.70, amended):

    • A person commits criminal interference with health services or access to a place of religious worship in the second degree if, by force, threat of force, or physical obstruction:
    • (a) Intentionally injures, intimidates, or interferes with someone obtaining or providing reproductive health services; or
    • (b) Intentionally injures, intimidates, or interferes with someone to discourage others from obtaining or providing reproductive health services; or
    • (c) Intentionally injures, intimidates, or interferes with someone seeking to enter a place of worship or to exercise religious freedom therein; or
    • (d) Intentionally damages property of a health care facility that provides reproductive health services, or of a place of religious worship (or attempts to do so); or
    • (e) Groups of two or more people demonstrate outside a place of religious worship and fail to maintain 100 feet of distance from the facility, including parking lot entrances, driveways, and driveway entrances.
    • Defines core terms (health care facility; interferes with; intimidates; physical obstruction; reproductive health services; place of religious worship).
    • Expands the concept of “place of religious worship” to include adjacent public ways and sidewalks that touch the place.

  • First-degree offense ( Penal Law §240.71, amended):

    • A person commits criminal interference with health care services or access to a place of religious worship in the first degree when they commit the second-degree offense and have been previously convicted of the same offense (first or second degree) or aggravated interference with health care services (first or second degree).
    • First-degree offense is classified as a Class E felony.

  • Definitions and scope (Section 1, §240.70):

    • Clarifies and expands the terms used to describe actions against health care facilities, reproductive health services, and places of religious worship.
    • Incorporates the 100-foot distancing requirement for groups demonstrating near places of worship (new in second-degree provision).

  • Procedural/timeline aspects (Section 3):

    • The act takes effect 60 days after it becomes law.

Who and what is affected

  • Individuals: Persons who engage in force, threats, or obstruction to (a) reproductive health services, (b) discouraging participation in reproductive health services, (c) restricting entry to places of worship or exercise of religious freedom, (d) damaging property of health care facilities or places of worship, or (e) organizing groups within 100 feet of such places.
  • Facilities and property: Reproductive health care facilities and places of religious worship (including their entrances, driveways, parking areas, and adjacent public ways).
  • Legal framework: Clarifies and elevates penalties for repeated or aggravated offenses (first-degree offense).

Penalties and day-to-day impact

  • Second-degree offense: Not explicitly labeled with a specific felony class in the text provided; presumed to be a lesser degree than first degree, but details would be found in the Penal Law as amended.
  • First-degree offense: Class E felony, applicable to repeat or aggravated conduct.
  • The changes aim to enhance protection around reproductive health services and religious worship sites, and to establish stricter consequences for repeat offenders.

Effective date

  • Effective 60 days after the law is enacted.

Additional notes

  • The bill adds explicit distance enforcement (100 feet) for groups demonstrating near places of worship, inclusive of associated areas like parking lot entrances and driveways.
  • Co-sponsors include Sen. Monica Martinez and others. The bill was referred to the Codes Committee on April 27, 2026.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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