Makes technical corrections to the definition of the weapon designated as a "throwing star" or "shuriken"; updates such term from the outdated term "Kung Fu star" to reflect such term's correct etymology.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A8425
SPONSOR: Bores
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the penal law, in relation to making technical
corrections to the definition of the weapon designated as a "throwing
star" or "shuriken"
 
PURPOSE:
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to making technical
corrections to the definition of the weapon designated as a "throwing
star" or "shuriken"
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Amending Subdivision 15-b of section 265.00 of the penal law,
to rectify "Kung Fu star" to now be "Throwing Star" or "Shuriken", and
adds a sentence in the definition acknowledging its prior usage as an
outdated term.
Section 2. Amending Chapter 257 of Subdivision 1 of Section 120.55 of
the penal law, to replace the word "Kung fu star" with "throwing star"
Section 3. Amending Chapter 34 of Subdivision 1 of section 265.01 of the
penal law, to replace the word "Kung Fu star" with "throwing star"
Section'4. Amending Chapters 34, 130, and 146 of Subdivisions 1 and 2 of
section 265.10 of the penal law, to replace the word "Kung Fu star" with
"throwing star"
Section 5. Stipulates that this act will take place immediately.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
This bill updates inaccurate names to a weapon under NYS Penal law.
"Kung Fu star" is an outdated term that inaccurately describes the weap-
on in question. The weapon in question does not originate from China as
implied in the term "Kung Fu."
They are more accurately referred to as "throwing stars" or "shuriken."
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
None
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
The bill takes effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8425
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
December 29, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BORES -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to making technical
corrections to the definition of the weapon designated as a "throwing
star" or "shuriken"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "replacing
2 prejudiced term act".
3 § 2. Subdivision 15-b of section 265.00 of the penal law, as added by
4 chapter 61 of the laws of 1985, is amended to read as follows:
5 15-b. ["Kung Fu star"] "Throwing star" or "shuriken" means a disc-like
6 object with sharpened points on the circumference thereof and is
7 designed for use primarily as a weapon to be thrown.
8 § 3. Subdivision 1 of section 120.55 of the penal law, as amended by
9 chapter 257 of the laws of 2008, is amended to read as follows:
10 1. Commits the crime of stalking in the third degree as defined in
11 subdivision three of section 120.50 of this article and in the course of
12 and in furtherance of the commission of such offense: (i) displays, or
13 possesses and threatens the use of, a firearm, pistol, revolver, rifle,
14 shotgun, machine gun, electronic dart gun, electronic stun gun, cane
15 sword, billy, blackjack, bludgeon, plastic knuckles, metal knuckles,
16 chuka stick, sand bag, sandclub, slingshot, slungshot, [shirken, "Kung
17 Fu Star"] shuriken, throwing star, dagger, dangerous knife, dirk, razor,
18 stiletto, imitation pistol, dangerous instrument, deadly instrument or
19 deadly weapon; or (ii) displays what appears to be a pistol, revolver,
20 rifle, shotgun, machine gun or other firearm; or
21 § 4. Subdivision 1 of section 265.01 of the penal law, as amended by
22 chapter 34 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
23 (1) He or she possesses any firearm, electronic dart gun, electronic
24 stun gun, switchblade knife, pilum ballistic knife, metal knuckle knife,
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11946-02-3
A. 8425 2
1 cane sword, billy, blackjack, bludgeon, plastic knuckles, metal knuck-
2 les, chuka stick, sand bag, sandclub, wrist-brace type slingshot or
3 slungshot, [shirken, or "Kung Fu star"] shuriken, or throwing star;
4 § 5. Subdivisions 1 and 2 of section 265.10 of the penal law, as sepa-
5 rately amended by chapters 34, 130 and 146 of the laws of 2019, are
6 amended to read as follows:
7 1. Any person who manufactures or causes to be manufactured any
8 machine-gun, assault weapon, large capacity ammunition feeding device or
9 disguised gun is guilty of a class D felony. Any person who manufactures
10 or causes to be manufactured any rapid-fire modification device is guil-
11 ty of a class E felony. Any person who manufactures or causes to be
12 manufactured any switchblade knife, pilum ballistic knife, metal knuckle
13 knife, undetectable knife, billy, blackjack, bludgeon, plastic knuckles,
14 metal knuckles, [Kung Fu] throwing star, chuka stick, sandbag, sandclub
15 or slungshot is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
16 2. Any person who transports or ships any machine-gun, firearm silenc-
17 er, assault weapon or large capacity ammunition feeding device or
18 disguised gun, or who transports or ships as merchandise five or more
19 firearms, is guilty of a class D felony. Any person who transports or
20 ships any rapid-fire modification device is guilty of a class E felony.
21 Any person who transports or ships as merchandise any firearm, other
22 than an assault weapon, switchblade knife, pilum ballistic knife, unde-
23 tectable knife, billy, blackjack, bludgeon, plastic knuckles, metal
24 knuckles, [Kung Fu] throwing star, chuka stick, sandbag or slungshot is
25 guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
26 § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.