S 223: Exempts from the use of self-defense sprays minors who are at least sixteen years of age and have been granted an order of protection or have been the victim of a crime, including where a criminal proceeding or investigation is still ongoing.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 223 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE (Prefiled) January 8, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. HELMING -- 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 exemptions for self-de- fense spray devices The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Subparagraph (b) of paragraph 14 of subdivision a of 2 section 265.20 of the penal law, as added by chapter 354 of the laws of 3 1996, is amended to read as follows: 4 (b) The exemption under this paragraph shall not apply to a person 5 who: 6 (i) is less than eighteen years of age, unless the minor is at least 7 sixteen years of age and has been granted an order of protection or has 8 been the victim of a crime, including where a criminal proceeding or 9 investigation is still ongoing, but the disposition of such investi- 10 gation shall not preclude such minor from lawfully possessing a self-de- 11 fense spray device; or 12 (ii) has been previously convicted in this state of a felony or any 13 assault; or 14 (iii) has been convicted of a crime outside the state of New York 15 which if committed in New York would constitute a felony or any assault 16 crime. 17 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD01082-01-5