Hochul signs three crime-focused bills into law

By Alex Gault | Watertown Daily Times
Penalties have been increased for religious-targeted harassment in New York, as Governor Kathleen C. Hochul signed a raft of new legislation regarding crime into law on Tuesday.
In one bill signed into effect Tuesday, it will now be considered an act of aggravated harassment to forcibly remove an article of religious clothing from another person. Removal of a yamulke, hijab or dastar would be punishable as a class A misdemeanor, subject to a fine of up to $1,000, a year in jail and/or community service.
A second bill signed on Tuesday, called the “Detective Brian Simonsen’s Law,” requires wireless service providers to disable all services on a wireless phone reported stolen. The aim of the law is to reduce the value of stolen cell phones, and is named after an NYPD detective killed in the line of duty in 2019 when responding to an armed robbery at a cell phone store in New York City.
Hochul also signed a bill into effect Tuesday that opens up anti-violence educational programs to apply for funding from the Omnibus School Violence Prevention Grant program, which provides public schools in New York with grant money to improve security at their schools. By allowing educational programs to receive funding as well, officials are aiming to provide more mental healthcare to at-risk youth likely to engage in violence at school, group counseling programs and anti-violence education more broadly.
“Public safety is my top priority, and I’m committed to using every possible tool to keep New Yorkers safe,” Hochul said. “The data is clear: New York has gotten safer since I took office in 2021, but there is more to do to stop hate and prevent violence in our communities. Signing these bills today will create three new laws to help protect New Yorkers and further reduce crime.”
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