- Adultery could soon be legal in N.Y.
Adultery may no longer be illegal in NY. It was removed from the penal code Wednesday 3 April by 57 votes in the legislature’s upper chamber. Democratic State Senators Joe Addabbo and Monica Martinez and Republicans Patrick Gallivan and James Tedisco voted “no”.
The present legislation in New York often goes unenforced, but if two consenting adults engage in sexual activity without marriage, they may face a $500 fine or three months in jail.
“The books rarely used adultery law. According to Democratic State Sen. Liz Krueger, one of the bill’s supporters, males intimidated women that if they divorced them, they would commit adultery.
Lower chamber passed repeal a few weeks ago. Governor Kathy Hochul’s office will study the bill.
According to bill sponsor Assemblyman Charles Lavine, only 12 applications of the 1907 statute have happened. His records show the last time in 2010.
“In the last 117 years, there have been only 13 arrests for adultery, and only five [were] convicted,” Lavine, a Democrat, added.
“When you consider that in that period of time there have been multiple millions of adultery cases in New York, it doesn’t deter.”
Republican members chastised Democrats for approving the proposal without a multibillion-dollar spending package.
“We should be making sure that the budget is in place and that we can fund the things we need to fund in this state,” Republican Assemblyman Michael Reilly said.
Long Islander Michael Durso represents Jonathan Diller’s family’s district. He said Democrats should prioritise public safety instead of the adultery bill.
“A woman at home just buried her husband because a criminal killed him. We have a list and package of bills we could vote on, but the majority won’t bring them to the floor. GOP Assemblyman Mike Durso said we could make change instead of wasting time and BSing around.
Supporters said the legislature can accomplish both.
