A 754 New York Assembly · 2025 Regular Session

Modifies the offense of forcible touching by removing the element of the actor's intent

This bill amends New York's penal law to redefine "unwanted touching" by removing the requirement that prosecutors prove the perpetrator intended to degrade or abuse the victim. It now only requires proof that the person intentionally touched another's intimate parts without consent for no legitimate purpose, including actions like squeezing or pinching. The change applies to all unwanted sexual contact cases, including those occurring on public transit (buses, trains, subways) where the victim is a passenger. This simplifies the legal standard for prosecuting such offenses while maintaining the definition of the crime as a class A misdemeanor.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 8, 2025 Last action Jan 7, 2026
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2
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Committee
2
Jan 7, 2026
Committee
REFERRED TO CODES
lower
Jan 8, 2025
Committee
REFERRED TO CODES
lower
1 primary · 4 co-sponsors

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