Repealing the Statute of Limitations on Sex Trafficking
The continual flow of state and federal cases have clearly exposed the callous, brutal nature of the third-party profiteers/promoters who use threats, blackmail, trickery and violence to recruit, coerce and force the most vulnerable individuals into prostitution/the sex trade. This bill is critical to New York’s ability to protect survivors of human trafficking and hold those who exploit them for profit accountable. The trauma, fear and stigma associated with being bought and sold in prostitution and abused and threatened by pimps can take years to overcome, and delays in reporting these crimes of sexual violence. New York’s rape laws statute of limitations have been eliminated and extended and the Child’s Victim Act, followed by the Adult Survivors Act, expanded the window for survivors of sex abuse to file civil suits.
Voluntary Intoxication Exclusion Act
The Voluntary Intoxication Exclusion Act would bridge the gap in a major discrepancy within New York law. Someone who voluntarily becomes intoxicated and is then sexually assaulted is not granted the same legal protections as someone who is sexually assaulted while involuntarily intoxicated. This inconsistency in New York law makes it incredibly difficult for victims of sexual assault to receive equal protections under the law. This bill, if passed, would make a victim's status and nature of intoxication unable to be used in the defense of a sex crimes case.
Increasing Access to Abortion
Women throughout New York State deserve accessible contraception, and this critical legislation will ease access to injectable contraceptives. This bill would allow pharmacists to administer FDA approved reversible progestin-only contraceptive injections, similar to their existing ability to dispense self-administered hormonal contraceptives. Pharmacists would be required to complete specific training and, within 72 hours of administration, notify the patient's primary healthcare practitioner (unless the patient opts out). Patients would be provided with a self-screening risk assessment questionnaire and a fact sheet developed by the health commissioner, covering clinical considerations, usage instructions, and healthcare referral information.
Sex Trade Survivors Justice & Equality Act
The legislation — based on a progressive legal framework supported by survivors of prostitution and sex trafficking now known as the Equality Model — decriminalizes people in prostitution in New York, while also vacating and expunging past convictions. It also gives survivors of commercial sexual exploitation access to comprehensive, trauma-informed services. The proposed legislation does not change laws against sex buying, promoting prostitution, brothel owning or sex tourism operations - all will remain fully illegal, and these exploiters will be held legally accountable for these crimes.
Sara’s Law: Child's Sex Crimes Victim Act
The Child’s Sex Crimes Victim Act (Sara’s Law) would protect child sex trafficking survivors from being prosecuted as adults for charges they were coerced into committing by their trafficker or for alleged crimes against their trafficker. This legislation allows people under 18 charged with crimes to request a court hearing to determine if the person who accused them ever committed a sex act against when or if the alleged charges were a direct result of child sex trafficking. This bill, once passed, would authorize judges to consider the impact of trauma and exploitation on survivors of child trafficking.
Ban Virginity Testing
The invasive and sexist practice of so-called “virginity testing” is still happening in the U.S. Subjecting girls to any form of “virginity testing” is just another form of sexual assault and a direct violation of their bodily integrity and privacy. The practice reflects the antiquated and oppressive standards society still holds for girls and young women, and it is in no way accepted as valid by the medical community. In fact, the United Nations and the World Health Organization co-wrote a statement calling to end virginity testing around the world. This legislation would ban virginity testing in New York State, prohibiting medical practitioners from performing these examinations and subjecting them to penalties if they breach the ban. Any “virginity tests” performed outside of a professional medical setting would be considered sexual assault under the proposal.
Expanding Transparency in Job Postings for Everyone in New York State
In 2023, New York’s groundbreaking statewide salary range transparency law went into effect. This law required employers with 4 or more employees to include a salary range in every job posting. Salary transparency is absolutely key to closing the persisting gender and racial pay gap in New York – when workers have access to information about pay and pay gaps, they are in a better position to negotiate for fair pay as both applicants and employees, and to seek out employers that pay better. While the Salary Range Disclosure law has proven to be a great success, it doesn’t go far enough. The NYS Assembly and Senate have introduced matching bills to strengthen and expand the groundbreaking salary range transparency law.