N.Y. PEN Law § 240.76
This is the official text of N.Y. PEN Law § 240.76, part of New York’s Penal Law — defines crimes and punishments in New York.
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Directing a laser at an aircraft in the second degree
Official statutory text
§ 240.76 Directing a laser at an aircraft in the second degree.\n A person is guilty of directing a laser at an aircraft in the second\ndegree when, with intent to disrupt safe air travel, he or she directs\nthe beam of a laser:\n 1. onto a specific aircraft intending to thereby disrupt or interfere\nwith such aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United\nStates; or\n 2. in the immediate vicinity of an aircraft in the special aircraft\njurisdiction of the United States, and:\n (a) the calculated or measured beam irradiance on the aircraft, or in\nthe immediate vicinity of the aircraft, exceeds limits set by the FAA\nfor the FAA-specified laser flight zone (normal, sensitive, critical, or\nlaser-free) where the aircraft was located; and (b) a pilot in the\nilluminated aircraft files a laser incident report with the FAA.\n 3. As used in this section:\n (a) the term "laser" shall mean any device designed or used to amplify\nelectromagnetic radiation by stimulated emission that emits a beam; and\n (b) the term "FAA" shall mean the Federal Aviation Administration.\n 4. This section does not prohibit directing a laser beam at an\naircraft, or in the immediate vicinity of an aircraft, by:\n (a) an authorized individual in the conduct of research and\ndevelopment or flight test operations conducted by an aircraft\nmanufacturer, the FAA, or any other person authorized by the FAA to\nconduct such research and development or flight test operations; or\n (b) members or elements of the United States department of defense or\nthe United States department of homeland security acting in an official\ncapacity for the purpose of research, development, operations, testing\nor training; or\n (c) an individual in an emergency situation using a laser to attract\nthe attention of an aircraft for bona fide rescue purposes; or\n (d) an individual whose laser operations have been submitted to and\nreviewed by the FAA, when:\n (i) the FAA has issued a letter not objecting to the laser use; and\n (ii) the laser is operated in conformity with the FAA submission.\n Directing a laser at an aircraft is a class A misdemeanor.\n
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