Provides that a landlord shall not request, obtain, or consider a consumer credit report or credit history for a prospective tenant who provides a written self-attestation that they are a victim of domestic violence, and shall not deny an application for rental housing on the basis of credit history when the applicant is a victim of domestic violence.
Requires employers to provide up to ten additional days of unpaid leave for absences when the employee or employee's family member has been the victim of domestic violence, a family offense, sexual offense, stalking or human trafficking upon the employee's request for reasons related to such offense or offenses.
This bill amends New York's stalking law to explicitly include unauthorized Bluetooth tracking as a form of "following" in the crime of stalking in the fourth degree. It directly affects individuals who use Bluetooth technology to secretly track another person's location without permission. The key change adds Bluetooth (along with GPS) to the legal definition of "following," making such unauthorized tracking a punishable offense under existing stalking statutes. Stalking in the fourth degree remains a class B misdemeanor under this updated law.
This bill requires attorneys appointed to represent children in certain court proceedings to complete specific training. All such attorneys must receive six hours of initial training and ongoing training as determined by the court. The training must cover domestic violence dynamics, juvenile delinquency law, and how these issues relate to custody, visitation, and child support decisions. It also mandates that training programs and providers receive approval from both the Office of Court Administration and the State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence.
This bill allows criminal cases in counties outside cities with over one million residents to be transferred to specialized mental health courts in neighboring counties. It requires the defendant's motion, consent from both district attorneys, and excludes family violence cases where the accused and victim are family members. The transfer cannot take effect for five days unless the receiving court agrees to accept the case earlier. This creates a formal process for connecting defendants with treatment-focused courts in adjacent jurisdictions.
Requires landlords to replace a lock on a tenant's dwelling door within 24 hours of a request by a tenant who is a victim of domestic violence; provides civil penalties for violations in relation thereto.
Requires employers to provide up to ten additional days of unpaid leave for absences when the employee or employee's family member has been the victim of domestic violence, a family offense, sexual offense, stalking or human trafficking upon the employee's request for reasons related to such offense or offenses.
Disallows the suspension or revocation of a domestic violence victim's driver's license or registration for non-payment or lapse of insurance coverage upon a proper showing of current insurance and a court order or attorney affirmation that such individual is in fact a victim of domestic violence.
Enacts the safe housing transfer for domestic violence victims act; ensures safe housing transfers for domestic violence victims in public and private housing; requires landlord response within seven days of a relocation request.
This bill (A 9120) establishes a statewide program providing free or low-cost legal help to income-eligible domestic violence survivors in New York State who are 18+ and earn under 250% of the federal poverty line. It creates two types of assistance: ongoing legal representation for divorce cases and brief legal consultations, both delivered through contracted non-profits. The program requires annual reporting on participation rates, unmet requests, case outcomes, and funding needs, and mandates training for providers on trauma-informed practices. The law directly affects domestic violence survivors navigating divorce, aiming to improve access to legal support without replacing existing services.
