{"jurisdiction": "us-ny", "code": "penal", "section": "240.00", "citation": "Penal Law § 240.00", "heading": "Offenses against public order; definitions of terms", "text": ["§ 240.00 Offenses against public order; definitions 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, community centers, 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.", "7. \"Gender identity or expression\" means a person's actual or perceived gender-related identity, appearance, behavior, expression, or other gender-related characteristic regardless of the sex assigned to that person at birth, including, but not limited to, the status of being transgender.", "8. \"Place of religious worship\" means any building or structure that a reasonable person would know that religious adherents collectively recognize as a place to regularly gather for or hold religious services, observance, prayer, assembly, education, instruction, or devotional practice, including community centers, and shall include its entrance, entryway, exit, parking lot, parking lot entrance, driveway, driveway entrance, or sidewalk that touches such places."], "official_source": "https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PEN/240.00", "from_official_api": true, "plain_english": "For this article:\n- **(1)** A **public place** is a place the public or a substantial group can access, including highways, transportation facilities, schools, places of amusement, parks, playgrounds, community centers, and hallways, lobbies, and other parts of apartment houses and hotels that are **not rooms or apartments designed for actual residence**.\n- **(2)** A **transportation facility** is any conveyance, premises, or place used for public passenger transportation by any method, including aircraft, watercraft, railroad cars, buses, school buses under **section 142 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law**, and air, boat, railroad, and bus terminals and stations.\n- **(3)** **School grounds** means in or on any building, structure, school bus (VTL § 142), athletic field, playground, or land within the property line of a public or private elementary, parochial, intermediate, junior high, vocational, or high school.\n- **(4)** A **hazardous substance** is any physical, chemical, microbiological, or radiological matter whose quantity, concentration, or characteristics may cause or significantly contribute to increased mortality or serious irreversible or incapacitating reversible illness, or pose a substantial present or potential health hazard.\n- **(5)** **Age** means **60 years old or more**. ★\n- **(6)** **Disability** means a **physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity**.\n- **(7)** **Gender identity or expression** means actual or perceived gender-related identity, appearance, behavior, expression, or other characteristic regardless of sex assigned at birth, including being transgender.\n- **(8)** A **place of religious worship** is any building or structure a **reasonable person would know** religious adherents collectively recognize as a place to regularly gather for services, observance, prayer, assembly, education, instruction, or devotion, including community centers, plus its entrance, exit, parking lot, driveway, and touching sidewalk.", "in_force_on": "2026-05-31", "retrieved": "2026-09-27", "url": "https://elyphived.com/us-ny/penal/240.00", "publisher": "Elyphived LLC"}