Bill Text: NY A07879 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Relates to the crime of official misconduct for sexual harassment for members of the New York state legislature; makes it a class A misdemeanor.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - referred to codes [A07879 Detail]
Download: New_York-2019-A07879-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 7879 2019-2020 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY May 28, 2019 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. SEAWRIGHT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to the crime of official misconduct for sexual harassment by a member of the state legislature The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The penal law is amended by adding a new section 195.01 to 2 read as follows: 3 § 195.01 Official misconduct for sexual harassment. 4 A public servant is guilty of official misconduct for sexual harass- 5 ment when he or she commits the act of sexual harassment, while serving 6 as a member of the New York state legislature. For purposes of this 7 section, "sexual harassment" shall be defined as making unwelcome or 8 unwanted sexual advances, requesting sexual favors in exchange for 9 favorable treatment or continued employment, engaging in verbal or phys- 10 ical conduct of a sexual nature which is made a term or condition of 11 employment, or using the refusal or acceptance of such advances as the 12 basis for employment decisions. "Sexual harassment" shall also include 13 any type of sexually oriented conduct that is unwelcome and has the 14 purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an employee's work 15 performance or creating a work environment that is intimidating, 16 hostile, offensive or coercive to a reasonable person. "Sexual harass- 17 ment" shall not be limited to male-female interaction. 18 Official misconduct for sexual harassment is a class A misdemeanor. 19 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD04122-01-9