Bill > A00754

This bill modifies the existing legal definition of "forcible touching" in New York state law by renaming it "unwanted touching" and significantly changing its legal elements. Specifically, the bill removes the previous requirement that the touching must be done with the explicit intent to degrade, abuse, or gratify sexual desire. Instead, the new law would make the key factor the lack of consent, broadening the scope of the offense. Under the proposed changes, a person can be charged with unwanted touching if they intentionally touch another person's sexual or intimate body parts without that person's consent, or if they subject another person to sexual contact without consent while on public transit. The bill retains the existing list of potential unwanted touching actions, which includes squeezing, grabbing, and now explicitly adds rubbing. The offense remains classified as a Class A misdemeanor, and the law would go into effect 180 days after its passage. These changes aim to simplify the legal standard for prosecuting unwanted physical contact by focusing on consent rather than proving specific intent.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A754