S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
326
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
(PREFILED)
January 9, 2019
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Introduced by M. of A. BRAUNSTEIN, PAULIN, SIMOTAS, BARRETT, BENEDETTO,
McDONOUGH, MONTESANO, BLANKENBUSH, RAIA, OTIS, FINCH, QUART, ORTIZ,
BRABENEC, FRIEND, STIRPE, SCHIMMINGER, GIGLIO, ABBATE, HYNDMAN,
SEAWRIGHT, MOSLEY, GOTTFRIED, HEVESI, PERRY, WEPRIN, LAVINE, WOERNER,
FERNANDEZ -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. CROUCH, ENGLEBRIGHT,
GALEF, M. L. MILLER, PALMESANO, RODRIGUEZ -- read once and referred to
the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to establishing the crime of
non-consensual dissemination of sexually explicit images
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The penal law is amended by adding two new sections 250.70
and 250.75 to read as follows:
§ 250.70 NON-CONSENSUAL DISSEMINATION OF SEXUALLY EXPLICIT IMAGES.
A PERSON IS GUILTY OF NON-CONSENSUAL DISSEMINATION OF SEXUALLY EXPLIC-
IT IMAGES WHEN HE OR SHE KNOWINGLY AND WITHOUT CONSENT OF THE DEPICTED
PERSON DISSEMINATES A PHOTOGRAPH, FILM, VIDEOTAPE, RECORDING, OR ANY
OTHER REPRODUCTION OF THE IMAGE OF SUCH DEPICTED PERSON WHOSE INTIMATE
PARTS ARE EXPOSED OR WHO IS ENGAGED IN AN ACT OF SEXUAL CONTACT, WHEN A
REASONABLE PERSON WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT THE PERSON DEPICTED WOULD NOT
HAVE CONSENTED TO SUCH DISSEMINATION, AND UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH
THE DEPICTED PERSON HAS A REASONABLE EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY. A PERSON
WHO HAS CONSENTED TO THE CAPTURE OR POSSESSION OF AN IMAGE WITHIN THE
CONTEXT OF A PRIVATE OR CONFIDENTIAL RELATIONSHIP RETAINS A REASONABLE
EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY WITH REGARD TO DISSEMINATION BEYOND THAT
RELATIONSHIP.
1. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION:
(A) "INTIMATE PARTS" MEANS THE NAKED GENITALS, PUBIC AREA, ANUS, OR
FEMALE POST-PUBESCENT NIPPLE OF THE PERSON.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02655-01-9
A. 326 2
(B) "SEXUAL CONTACT" MEANS BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, MASTURBATION, GENI-
TAL, ANAL, OR ORAL SEX, SEXUAL PENETRATION WITH OBJECTS, OR THE TRANSFER
OR TRANSMISSION OF SEMEN UPON ANY PART OF THE DEPICTED PERSON'S BODY.
2. THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO:
(A) LAWFUL AND COMMON PRACTICES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, CRIMINAL REPORT-
ING, OR LEGAL PROCEEDINGS, OR DISSEMINATIONS MADE IN THE REPORTING OF
UNLAWFUL ACTIVITY;
(B) SITUATIONS INVOLVING VOLUNTARY EXPOSURE IN PUBLIC OR COMMERCIAL
SETTINGS, OR DISSEMINATIONS MADE FOR A LEGITIMATE PUBLIC PURPOSE; OR
(C) PROVIDERS OF AN INTERACTIVE COMPUTER SERVICE, AS DEFINED IN 47
U.S.C. § 230(F), FOR IMAGES PROVIDED BY ANOTHER PERSON.
NON-CONSENSUAL DISSEMINATION OF SEXUALLY EXPLICIT IMAGES IS A CLASS A
MISDEMEANOR.
§ 250.75 CIVIL CAUSE OF ACTION FOR NON-CONSENSUAL DISSEMINATION OF SEXU-
ALLY EXPLICIT IMAGES.
1. A CIVIL CAUSE OF ACTION LIES AGAINST A PERSON WHO DISSEMINATES,
THREATENS TO DISSEMINATE AN IMAGE OF ANOTHER PERSON IDENTIFIABLE FROM
THE IMAGE ITSELF OR INFORMATION DISPLAYED IN CONNECTION WITH THE IMAGE
AND WHOSE INTIMATE PARTS ARE EXPOSED OR IS ENGAGED IN SEXUAL CONDUCT
WITHOUT THAT OTHER PERSON'S CONSENT, IF THE ACTOR:
(A) OBTAINED THE IMAGE OR IMAGES UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH A
REASONABLE PERSON WOULD KNOW OR UNDERSTAND THAT THE IMAGE WAS TO REMAIN
PRIVATE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMAGES SHARED WITHIN THE CONTEXT
OF A CONFIDENTIAL RELATIONSHIP THAT WERE THEN DISSEMINATED BEYOND SUCH
RELATIONSHIP; OR
(B) KNOWINGLY OBTAINED THE IMAGE OR IMAGES UNDER FALSE PRETENSES OR
WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION OR BY EXCEEDING AUTHORIZED ACCESS TO PROPERTY,
ACCOUNTS, MESSAGES, FILES, DEVICES, OR RESOURCES.
2. THE FOLLOWING AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE SHALL APPLY IF:
(A) THE DISTRIBUTED MATERIAL WAS CREATED OR DISTRIBUTED UNDER AN
AGREEMENT BY THE PERSON APPEARING IN THE MATERIAL FOR ITS PUBLIC USE AND
DISTRIBUTION; OR
(B) THE DISTRIBUTED MATERIAL CONSTITUTES A MATTER OF PUBLIC CONCERN,
LAWFUL AND COMMON PRACTICES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, CRIMINAL REPORTING,
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS, MEDICAL TREATMENT, OR SCIENTIFIC OR EDUCATIONAL
ACTIVITIES; OR
(C) THE DISTRIBUTED MATERIAL WAS PHOTOGRAPHED, FILMED, VIDEOTAPED,
RECORDED, OR OTHERWISE REPRODUCED IN A PUBLIC PLACE AND UNDER CIRCUM-
STANCES IN WHICH THE PERSON DEPICTED HAD NO REASONABLE EXPECTATION OF
PRIVACY.
3. IN ADDITION TO OTHER RELIEF AVAILABLE AT LAW, INCLUDING AN ORDER BY
THE COURT TO DESTROY ANY IMAGE OBTAINED OR DISSEMINATED IN VIOLATION OF
THIS SECTION, AND TO PRESERVE DISCOVERABLE INFORMATION, AND PRELIMINARY
AND PERMANENT INJUNCTIVE RELIEF, THE ACTOR SHALL BE LIABLE TO THE PLAIN-
TIFF FOR:
(A) ACTUAL DAMAGES, BUT NOT LESS THAN LIQUIDATED DAMAGES, TO BE
COMPUTED AT THE RATE OF ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS PER DAY FOR EACH DAY THE
IMAGE OR IMAGES WERE VIEWABLE OR EACH INSTANCE A THREAT TO DISTRIBUTE
WAS MADE OR AN IMAGE FRAUDULENTLY OBTAINED UP TO THIRTY DAYS, OR TEN
THOUSAND DOLLARS, WHICHEVER IS HIGHER; AND
(B) PUNITIVE DAMAGES; AND
(C) REASONABLE COURT COSTS AND ATTORNEYS' FEES.
4. IN AN ACTION BROUGHT UNDER THIS SECTION, ALL IDENTIFYING INFORMA-
TION ABOUT THE PLAINTIFF MAY BE REDACTED FROM PLEADINGS AND COURT
FILINGS AND THE PLAINTIFF MAY PROCEED UNDER PSEUDONYM; THE COURT SHALL
INFORM THE PLAINTIFF OF THE OPTION TO PROCEED UNDER PSEUDONYM AT THE
A. 326 3
EARLIEST POSSIBLE POINT AND SHALL MAINTAIN THE RECORDS IN A MANNER THAT
PROTECTS THE PLAINTIFF'S CONFIDENTIALITY.
5. THE FOLLOWING DEFINITIONS SHALL APPLY: (A) "PERSONAL INFORMATION"
INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, NAME OR ANY PART THEREOF, ADDRESS OR
ANY PART THEREOF, AGE, NAMES OF FAMILY MEMBERS, MARITAL STATUS,
RELATIONSHIP TO DEFENDANT, RACE OR ETHNIC BACKGROUND, EMPLOYER, SCHOOL,
OR URLS, SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT USERNAMES, AND SCREENSHOTS RELATED TO THE
CAUSE OF ACTION;
(B) "ACTUAL DAMAGES" INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, PAIN AND SUFFER-
ING, EMOTIONAL DISTRESS, ECONOMIC DAMAGES, AND LOST EARNINGS.
6. A CAUSE OF ACTION BROUGHT UNDER THIS SECTION MAY BE BROUGHT NO MORE
THAN FIVE YEARS AFTER THE LAST DISSEMINATION OR INCIDENT.
7. THE ACTOR'S CLAIM THAT THE DEPICTED PERSON IS A PUBLIC FIGURE SHALL
NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO ESTABLISH THE AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE THAT DISTRIBUTION
CONSTITUTES A MATTER OF PUBLIC CONCERN.
8. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO REQUIRE THAT A CRIMI-
NAL CHARGE BE BROUGHT OR A CRIMINAL CONVICTION BE OBTAINED AS A CONDI-
TION OF BRINGING A CIVIL CAUSE OF ACTION OR RECEIVING A CIVIL JUDGMENT
PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION OR BE CONSTRUED TO REQUIRE THAT ANY OF THE
RULES GOVERNING A CRIMINAL PROCEEDING BE APPLICABLE TO ANY SUCH CIVIL
ACTION.
9. THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO PROVIDERS OF AN INTERACTIVE COMPUT-
ER SERVICE, AS DEFINED IN 47 U.S.C. § 230(F), FOR IMAGES PROVIDED BY
ANOTHER PERSON.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeed-
ing the date on which it shall have become a law.