Assembly Bill A6159

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Increases the penalty for rape in the first degree

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Assembly Committee

  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

Do you support this bill?

Please enter your contact information

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.
Actions

co-Sponsors

2025-A6159 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S477
Current Committee:
Assembly Codes
Law Section:
Penal Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §130.35, Pen L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2019-2020: A7683, S5396
2021-2022: A5477, S5334
2023-2024: A4286, S1166

2025-A6159 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Increases the penalty for rape in the first degree from a class B felony to an class A-II felony.

2025-A6159 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6159
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 26, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. LEMONDES -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Codes
 
 AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to increasing the penalty for
   rape in the first degree
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Section 130.35 of the penal law, as amended by chapter  777
 of the laws of 2023, is amended to read as follows:
 § 130.35 Rape in the first degree.
   A person is guilty of rape in the first degree when:
   1.  [he  or  she]  SUCH  PERSON engages in vaginal sexual contact with
 another person:
   (a) By forcible compulsion; or
   (b) Who is incapable of consent by reason of  being  physically  help-
 less; or
   (c) Who is less than eleven years old; or
   (d)  Who  is  less  than  thirteen years old and the actor is eighteen
 years old or more;
   2. [he or she] SUCH PERSON engages in oral sexual contact with another
 person:
   (a) By forcible compulsion; or
   (b) Who is incapable of consent by reason of  being  physically  help-
 less; or
   (c) Who is less than eleven years old; or
   (d)  Who  is  less  than  thirteen years old and the actor is eighteen
 years old or more; or
   3. [he or she] SUCH PERSON engages in anal sexual contact with another
 person:
   (a) By forcible compulsion; or
   (b) Who is incapable of consent by reason of  being  physically  help-
 less; or
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01127-01-5

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.