New York lawmakers OK 'buffer zone' near schools, religious sites

Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul had pushed for a 25-foot buffer zone in the budget, but the Legislature expanded that to a 50-foot perimeter. 

“Every New Yorker should be able to enter their house of worship and practice their religion without fear," Hochul, who is expected to sign the bill, said in a statement. "As we’re witnessing an alarming rise in hate-fueled attacks and blatant antisemitism, I’m grateful my buffer zones legislation has passed and New Yorkers will be safer because of it."

New York was the epicenter for protests over Israel's war against Hamas, drawing scrutiny from the Trump administration. Demonstrations on New York City college campuses and outside of synagogues have raised concerns about public safety with recent reports showing an uptick in hate crimes targeting Jewish New Yorkers over the past few years.

Democrats who pushed the measure through the Legislature said the state needed to "intervene" in the issue after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani vetoed a similar bill to create a similar buffer zone around colleges and other educational facilities. Mamdani's veto left many Jewish New Yorkers "deeply disappointed and exposed," they said. 

"If the City of New York cannot find it within themselves to take the necessary steps to protect our children, the State of New York must and will step in to act," a group of Democratic lawmakers said in a statement. "We refuse to let local executive vetoes dictate the safety of our children, and we came together to fight for a state-level bill with real teeth." 

In April, Mamdani allowed a bill approved by the city council creating a buffer zone around religious sites to become law without his signature but vetoed another bill creating a similar protest-free perimeter around colleges and universities. 

The council didn't override Mamdani's veto, but is taking up a revised bill to create a buffer zone around K-12 public schools that exempts libraries, teaching hospitals, colleges, and universities.

Civil liberties and progressive groups have raised concerns about the proposed restrictions, calling them unconstitutional. The New York Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit last week against Nassau County over a 35-foot buffer zone around religious sites signed into law in January by Republican County Executive Bruce Blakeman — who is running for governor.

The ACLU said the Nassau County lawsuit is the "first legal challenge" to so-called 'buffer zones' outside of places of worship.