N.Y. Penal Law § 240.70: Criminal interference with health care services or religious worship in the second degree

§ 240.70 Criminal interference with health care services or religious

worship in the second degree.

1. A person is guilty of criminal interference with health services or

religious worship in the second degree when:

(a) by force or threat of force or by physical obstruction, he or she

intentionally injures, intimidates or interferes with, or attempts to

injure, intimidate or interfere with, another person because such other

person was or is obtaining or providing reproductive health services; or

(b) by force or threat of force or by physical obstruction, he or she

intentionally injures, intimidates or interferes with, or attempts to

injure, intimidate or interfere with, another person in order to

discourage such other person or any other person or persons from

obtaining or providing reproductive health services; or

(c) by force or threat of force or by physical obstruction, he or she

intentionally injures, intimidates or interferes with, or attempts to

injure, intimidate or interfere with, another person because such person

was or is seeking to exercise the right of religious freedom at a place

of religious worship; or

(d) he or she intentionally damages the property of a health care

facility, or attempts to do so, because such facility provides

reproductive health services, or intentionally damages the property of a

place of religious worship.

2. A parent or legal guardian of a minor shall not be subject to

prosecution for conduct otherwise prohibited by paragraph (a) or (b) of

subdivision one of this section which is directed exclusively at such

minor.

3. For purposes of this section:

(a) the term "health care facility" means a hospital, clinic,

physician's office or other facility that provides reproductive health

services, and includes the building or structure in which the facility

is located;

(b) the term "interferes with" means to restrict a person's freedom of

movement;

(c) the term "intimidates" means to place a person in reasonable

apprehension of physical injury to himself or herself or to another

person;

(d) the term "physical obstruction" means rendering impassable ingress

to or egress from a facility that provides reproductive health services

or to or from a place of religious worship, or rendering passage to or

from such a facility or place of religious worship unreasonably

difficult or hazardous; and

(e) the term "reproductive health services" means health care services

provided in a hospital, clinic, physician's office or other facility and

includes medical, surgical, counseling or referral services relating to

the human reproductive system, including services relating to pregnancy

or the termination of a pregnancy.

Criminal interference with health care services or religious worship

in the second degree is a class A misdemeanor.