Article 240: Offenses against Public Order

In New York law, Article 240 refers to offenses against public order. If you have been charged with such an offense, you should contact a criminal defense attorney immediately.

The complete law is as follows:

Article 240: Offenses against Public Order

240.00 Offenses against public order; definition of terms.
240.05 Rioting in the second degree.
240.06 Rioting in the first degree.
240.08 Inciting to riot.
240.10 Unlawful assembly.
240.15 Criminal anarchy.
240.20 Disorderly conduct.
240.21 Disruption, or disturbance of religious service.
240.25 Harassment in the first degree.
240.26 Harassment in the second degree.
240.30 Aggravated harassment in the second degree.
240.31 Aggravated harassment in the first degree.
240.32 Aggravated harassment of an employee by an inmate.
240.35 Loitering.
240.36 Loitering in the first degree.
240.37 Loitering for the purpose of engaging in a prostitution offense.
240.40 Appearance in public under the influence of narcotics or a drug other than alcohol.
240.45 Criminal nuisance in the second degree.
240.46 Criminal nuisance in the first degree.
240.48 Disseminating a false registered sex offender notice.
240.50 Falsely reporting an incident in the third degree.
240.55 Falsely reporting an incident in the second degree.
240.60 Falsely reporting an incident in the first degree.
240.61 Placing a false bomb or hazardous substance in the second degree.
240.62 Placing a false bomb or hazardous substance in the first degree.
240.63 Placing a false bomb or hazardous substance in a sports stadium or arena, mass transportation facility or enclosed shopping mall.
240.65 Unlawful prevention of public access to records.
240.70 Criminal interference with health care services or religious worship in the second degree.
240.71 Criminal interference with health care services or religious worship in the first degree.
240.72 Aggravated Interference with Health Care Services in the Second Degree.
240.73 Aggravated interference with health care services in the first degree.


NY PENAL LAW § 240.00

Offenses against public order; definition of terms.

The following definitions are applicable to this article:

1. “Public place” means a place to which the public or a substantial group of persons has access, and includes, but is not limited to, highways, transportation facilities, schools, places of amusement, parks, playgrounds, and hallways, lobbies and other portions of apartment houses and hotels not constituting rooms or apartments designed for actual residence.

2. “Transportation facility” means any conveyance, premises or place used for or in connection with public passenger transportation, whether by air, railroad, motor vehicle or any other method. It includes aircraft, watercraft, railroad cars, buses, school buses as defined in section one hundred forty-two of the vehicle and traffic law, and air, boat, railroad and bus terminals and stations and all appurtenances thereto.

3. “School grounds” means in or on or within any building, structure, school bus as defined in section one hundred forty-two of the vehicle and traffic law, athletic playing field, playground or land contained within the real property boundary line of a public or private elementary, parochial, intermediate, junior high, vocational or high school.

4. “Hazardous substance” shall mean any physical, chemical, microbiological or radiological substance or matter which, because of its quantity, concentration, or physical, chemical or infectious characteristics, may cause or significantly contribute to an increase in mortality or an increase in serious irreversible or incapacitating reversible illness, or pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health.

5. “Age” means sixty years old or more.

6. “Disability” means a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity.