From and after the effective date of this chapter, it shall be unlawful
for any person, firm or corporation to sell, lend, give away, furnish, exhibit
or in any manner supply or permit to be sold, loaned, given away, furnished
or supplied, to any person under the age of 18 years, any book, magazine,
pamphlet or other publication in which there is featured, portrayed or described,
either by words, pictures or drawings, any account of an indecent, immoral,
obscene, lewd or lascivious nature, or of the commission or attempted commission
of any of the following crimes as they are defined in the Penal Law of the
State of New York, to wit: arson, assault, burglary, kidnapping, larceny,
manslaughter, mayhem, murder, prostitution, rape, crime against nature and
extortion.
The intent of this chapter is that it shall not apply to, or in any
way interfere with, the usual, general dissemination of news to the public,
or to any drawings or photographs necessary or proper to illustrate the same,
nor shall it apply to any action either positively authorized or prohibited
by the provision of the Constitution of the United States or of the State
of New York or by general law.
In the event that any publication is prohibited in this chapter and
such publication should be displayed in any store or other establishment or
where said prohibited publication may be seen by any person under 18 years
of age visiting said establishment, such display shall be prima facie evidence
that the person in charge was then exhibiting the publication with knowledge
of its contents and intended to sell, offer for sale or furnish such publication
to one under 18 years of age.
A violation of this chapter shall be a misdemeanor and shall be punishable
by a fine of not to exceed $50. Each publication shall be deemed a separate
offense.