S 1933 NY
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Summary
This bill, known as 'Paula's Law,' expands New York's 'Joan's Law' (enacted in 2004) to include a broader age range of child victims. The bill amends the penal law to expand the definition of murder to include deaths that occur while committing certain sexual crimes against victims under age 18, rather than the previous age limit of 14. Specifically, it applies to rape, criminal sexual act, sexual abuse in the first degree, aggravated sexual abuse, or incest, committed by a person 18 years old or more against a person under 18, when the defendant intentionally causes the victim's death. The bill expands protections previously limited to child victims under 14 to now include victims under 18.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Official abstract
Provides that being eighteen years old or more, while in the course of committing rape in the first, second or third degree, criminal sexual act in the first, second or third degree, sexual abuse in the first degree, aggravated sexual abuse in the first, second, third or fourth degree, or incest in the first, second or third degree, against a person less than eighteen years old, such defendant intentionally causes the death of such person.
Sponsor (1)
- William Weber Republican · primary
9 coauthors / cosponsors
- Patrick M. Gallivan Republican · cosponsor
- Pamela Helming Republican · cosponsor
- Jack M. Martins Republican · cosponsor
- Mario Mattera Republican · cosponsor
- Dean Murray Republican · cosponsor
- Robert Ortt Republican · cosponsor
- Anthony H. Palumbo Republican · cosponsor
- Steve Rhoads Republican · cosponsor
- Robert Rolison Republican · cosponsor
Action history (4)
- Jan 14, 2025 REFERRED TO CODES · upper
- Jan 7, 2026 REFERRED TO CODES · upper
- Mar 19, 2026 NOTICE OF COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION - REQUESTED · upper
- May 18, 2026 DEFEATED IN CODES · upper
Text versions (2)
Full text
Full text imported from assembly.state.ny.us
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Bill No.: Summary Actions Committee Votes Floor Votes Memo Text LFIN Chamber Video/Transcript S01933 Summary: BILL NO S01933   SAME AS SAME AS A05783
  SPONSOR WEBER   COSPNSR GALLIVAN, HELMING, MARTINS, MATTERA, MURRAY, ORTT, PALUMBO, RHOADS, ROLISON   MLTSPNSR   Amd §125.25, Pen L   Provides that being eighteen years old or more, while in the course of committing rape in the first, second or third degree, criminal sexual act in the first, second or third degree, sexual abuse in the first degree, aggravated sexual abuse in the first, second, third or fourth degree, or incest in the first, second or third degree, against a person less than eighteen years old, such defendant intentionally causes the death of such person.
Go to top S01933 Text:
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________
1933
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 14, 2025 ___________
Introduced by Sens. WEBER, GALLIVAN, HELMING, MARTINS, MATTERA, MURRAY, ORTT, PALUMBO, RHOADS, ROLISON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to enacting "Paula's law"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as 2 "Paula's law". 3 § 2. Legislative intent. This act is an expansion of "Joan's Law", 4 enacted in 2004, which denies parole in these circumstances for child 5 victims under the age of fourteen. This act expands upon "Joan's Law" by 6 including child victims under the age of eighteen. 7 § 3. Subdivision 5 of section 125.25 of the penal law, as amended by 8 chapter 23 of the laws of 2024, is amended to read as follows: 9 5. Being eighteen years old or more, while in the course of committing 10 rape in the first, second or third degree, a crime formerly defined in 11 section 130.50, 130.45 or 130.40 of this title, the crime of sexual 12 abuse in the first degree, aggravated sexual abuse in the first, second, 13 third or fourth degree, or incest in the first, second or third degree, 14 against a person less than [ fourteen ] eighteen years old, [ he or she ] 15 such defendant intentionally causes the death of such person. 16 § 4. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeed- 17 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD03456-01-5
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