Senate Bill S9960

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Establishes the crime of benefiting from a sex trafficking venture; creates a civil action relating thereto; and revives certain civil actions relating thereto

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Codes 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

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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Apr 17, 2026	referred to codes

2025-S9960 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Codes
Law Section:: Penal Law
Laws Affected:: Add §§230.34-b & 230.34-c, Pen L; amd §§483-aa & 483-bb, Soc Serv L; add §214-k, amd R3403, CPLR; add §219-f, Judy L

2025-S9960 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes the crimes of benefiting from a sex trafficking venture and aggravated benefiting from a sex trafficking venture; establishes civil action for victims of benefiting from a sex trafficking venture; revives such actions otherwise barred by the existing statute of limitations, grants trial preference to such actions, and directs the chief administrator of the courts to promulgate rules for the timely adjudication of certain revived actions.

2025-S9960 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9960

SPONSOR: MYRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the penal law, in relation to establishing the crimes of
benefiting from a sex trafficking venture and aggravated benefiting from
a sex trafficking venture; to amend the social services law, in relation
to establishing a right of action for victims of benefiting from a sex
trafficking venture; and to amend the civil practice law and rules and
the judiciary law, in relation to reviving such actions otherwise barred
by the existing statute of limitations, granting trial preference to
such actions, and directing the chief administrator of the courts to
promulgate rules for the timely adjudication of certain revived actions

 
PURPOSE:

An act to amend the penal law, in relation to establishing the crimes of
benefiting from a sex trafficking venture and aggravated benefiting from
a sex trafficking venture; to amend the social services law, in relation
to establishing a right of action for victims of benefiting from a sex
trafficking venture; and to amend the civil practice law and rules and
the judiciary law, in relation to reviving such actions otherwise barred

by the existing statute of limitations, granting trial preference to
such actions, and directing the chief administrator of the courts to
promulgate rules for the timely adjudication of certain revived actions.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Establishes the name of the bill: "the trafficking survivor
recovery and accountability act."

Section 2. Adds section 230.34-b to the penal law and defines: a sex
trafficking venture, persons benefiting from a sex trafficking venture,
persons participating in a sex trafficking venture, and persons giving
anything of value; makes benefiting from a sex trafficking venture a
class C felony.

Adds § 230.34-c to the penal law and defines aggravated benefiting from
a sex trafficking venture, sex trafficking venture, participating in a
sex trafficking venture, and persons giving anything of value; makes
benefiting from a sex trafficking venture a class B felony.

Section 3. Amends Subdivision (a) of section 483-aa of the social
services law. Adds victim of benefiting from a sex trafficking venture
from section 230.34-b and a victim of aggravated benefiting from sex
trafficking venture from section 230.34-c.

Section 4. Amends Paragraph (i) of subdivision (c) of section 483-bb of
the social services law. Defines "participates-in" for sex trafficking
ventures. Adds that the court may award additional punitive damages upon
a showing that the defendant's conduct was willful, wanton, reckless,
malicious, or in conscious disregard of the rights and safety of the
plaintiff; and the court may award punitive damages against the personal
representative, estate, successors, assignees, or distributees of a
deceased person held liable.

Section 5. Amends section 214-k which adds action certain victims of sex
trafficking can take when filing a claim.
Section 6. Amends paragraph 7 of subdivision (a) of rule 3403 of the
civil practice law and rules.

Section 7. Amends section 219-f which sets rules to reviving certain
action for the Chief Administrator of the courts.

Section 8 is the severability clause.

Section 9 is the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

This bill modernizes New York's trafficking laws by amending the Penal
Law to create the crimes of benefiting from a sex trafficking venture
and aggravated benefiting from a sex trafficking venture, and by
conforming related remedial and procedural provisions so that survivors
have a meaningful path to recovery against those who knowingly benefit
from, participate in, or materially assist trafficking ventures. In
doing so, the bill is intended not merely to create a new civil remedy,
but to strengthen New York's criminal-law framework governing traffick-
ing and the enforcement mechanisms that flow from those offenses. The
bill also brings state law closer to the federal approach reflected in
18 U.S.C. § 1595, which permits a civil action not only against a direct
perpetrator, but also against one who knowingly benefits from partic-
ipation in a venture the person knew or should have known engaged in
trafficking.

The roots of barring punitive damages against estates lay not in legis-
lative, constitutional, or statutory action, but in common-law reasoning
that a claim is extinguished upon the death of the liable party. Yet in
other areas of New York law, including components of criminal and civil
forfeiture, civil rights, and consumer protection, liability is height-
ened or extended when a determination is made that society benefits from
such conduct being strongly deterred. Sexual abuse, trafficking, and
related sexual crimes fall squarely within that ambit, and New York law
should serve as both a shield of deterrence and sword of justice against
this abuse in all forms.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately

2025-S9960 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9960
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              April 17, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  MYRIE  -- 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 establishing the crimes of
   benefiting from a sex trafficking venture  and  aggravated  benefiting
   from  a  sex trafficking venture; to amend the social services law, in
   relation to establishing a right of action for victims  of  benefiting
   from  a  sex  trafficking venture; and to amend the civil practice law
   and rules and the judiciary law, in relation to reviving such  actions
   otherwise  barred  by  the  existing  statute of limitations, granting
   trial preference to such actions, and directing the chief  administra-
   tor  of  the courts to promulgate rules for the timely adjudication of
   certain revived actions
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "traffick-
 ing survivor recovery and accountability act".
   § 2. The penal law is amended by adding two new sections 230.34-b  and
 230.34-c to read as follows:
 § 230.34-B BENEFITING FROM A SEX TRAFFICKING VENTURE.
   1.  A PERSON IS GUILTY OF BENEFITING FROM A SEX TRAFFICKING VENTURE BY
 OBTAINING ANYTHING OF VALUE DUE TO SUCH  PERSON  PARTICIPATING  IN  WHAT
 SUCH  PERSON  KNEW OR REASONABLY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN WAS A SEX TRAFFICKING
 VENTURE.
   2. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION:
   (A) "SEX TRAFFICKING VENTURE" MEANS ANY ONE PERSON,  INDIVIDUALLY,  OR
 TWO  OR  MORE PERSONS ASSOCIATED IN FACT, WHETHER OR NOT A LEGAL ENTITY,
 ENGAGED IN CONDUCT WHICH IS A VIOLATION OF SECTION 230.34 OF THIS  ARTI-
 CLE  OTHER  THAN  PARAGRAPHS  (A)  AND  (C)  OF SUBDIVISION FIVE OF SUCH
 SECTION.
   (B) "PARTICIPATING IN" MEANS TO  INTENTIONALLY  AID,  ASSIST,  MANAGE,
 SUPERVISE, CONTROL, FINANCE, ADVERTISE, MAINTAIN PREMISES FOR, TRANSPORT
 FOR,  PROVIDE SECURITY FOR, CONCEAL, OR OTHERWISE MATERIALLY SUPPORT THE
 CARRYING ON OF A SEX TRAFFICKING VENTURE.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD15580-02-6

 S. 9960                             2
 
   (C) "ANYTHING OF VALUE" INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO  MONEY,  FINAN-
 CIAL  BENEFIT, PROPERTY, SERVICES, DEBT FORGIVENESS, PROMISES OF COMPEN-
 SATION, BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, OR  ANY  OTHER  TANGIBLE  OR  INTANGIBLE
 BENEFIT.
   BENEFITING FROM A SEX TRAFFICKING VENTURE IS A CLASS C FELONY.
 § 230.34-C AGGRAVATED BENEFITING FROM A SEX TRAFFICKING VENTURE.
   1.  A PERSON IS GUILTY OF AGGRAVATED BENEFITING FROM A SEX TRAFFICKING
 VENTURE BY OBTAINING ANYTHING OF VALUE DUE TO SUCH PERSON  PARTICIPATING
 IN WHAT SUCH PERSON KNEW OR REASONABLY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN WAS A SEX TRAF-
 FICKING VENTURE.
   2. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION:
   (A)  "SEX  TRAFFICKING VENTURE" MEANS ANY ONE PERSON, INDIVIDUALLY, OR
 TWO OR MORE PERSONS ASSOCIATED IN FACT, WHETHER OR NOT A  LEGAL  ENTITY,
 ENGAGED  IN  CONDUCT  WHICH  IS  A  VIOLATION OF PARAGRAPH (A) OR (C) OF
 SUBDIVISION FIVE OF SECTION 230.34 OR 230.34-A OF THIS ARTICLE.
   (B) "PARTICIPATING IN" MEANS TO  INTENTIONALLY  AID,  ASSIST,  MANAGE,
 SUPERVISE, CONTROL, FINANCE, ADVERTISE, MAINTAIN PREMISES FOR, TRANSPORT
 FOR,  PROVIDE SECURITY FOR, CONCEAL, OR OTHERWISE MATERIALLY SUPPORT THE
 CARRYING ON OF A SEX TRAFFICKING VENTURE.
   (C) "ANYTHING OF VALUE" INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO  MONEY,  FINAN-
 CIAL  BENEFIT, PROPERTY, SERVICES, DEBT FORGIVENESS, PROMISES OF COMPEN-
 SATION, BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, OR  ANY  OTHER  TANGIBLE  OR  INTANGIBLE
 BENEFIT.
   AGGRAVATED  BENEFITING  FROM  A  SEX  TRAFFICKING VENTURE IS A CLASS B
 FELONY.
   § 3. Subdivision (a) of section 483-aa of the social services law,  as
 added by chapter 74 of the laws of 2007, is amended to read as follows:
   (a)  "Human  trafficking victim" means a person who is a victim of sex
 trafficking as defined in section 230.34 of the penal law, A  VICTIM  OF
 BENEFITING FROM A SEX TRAFFICKING VENTURE AS DEFINED IN SECTION 230.34-B
 OF THE PENAL LAW, A VICTIM OF AGGRAVATED BENEFITING FROM A SEX TRAFFICK-
 ING VENTURE AS DEFINED IN SECTION 230.34-C OF THE PENAL LAW, or a victim
 of labor trafficking as defined in section 135.35 of the penal law.
   §  4. Paragraph (i) of subdivision (c) of section 483-bb of the social
 services law, as amended by chapter 311 of the laws of 2021, is  amended
 and two new paragraphs (viii) and (ix) are added to read as follows:
   (i)  (A)  An  individual  who is a victim of the conduct prohibited by
 section 230.33, 230.34, 230.34-a, 230.34-B, 230.34-C, 135.35  or  135.37
 of  the  penal  law  may bring a civil action against the perpetrator or
 [whoever] ANY PERSON OR ENTITY, INCLUDING BUT NOT  LIMITED  TO  INDIVID-
 UALS,  CORPORATIONS,  PARTNERSHIPS,  TRUSTS,  OR  ESTATES, WHO knowingly
 advances, ENABLES, FUNDS, or profits from, or whoever should have  known
 [he  or  she] SUCH PERSON OR ENTITY was advancing, ENABLING, FUNDING, or
 profiting from, an act in violation of section 230.33, 230.34, 230.34-a,
 135.35 or 135.37 of the penal law OR THE PERPETRATOR OR  ANY  PERSON  OR
 ENTITY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIVIDUALS, CORPORATIONS, PARTNER-
 SHIPS,  TRUSTS,  OR  ESTATES,  WHO KNOWINGLY PARTICIPATES IN, OR WHOEVER
 SHOULD HAVE KNOWN SUCH PERSON OR ENTITY WAS PARTICIPATING IN, AN ACT  IN
 VIOLATION  OF  SECTION  230.34-B OR 230.34-C OF THE PENAL LAW to recover
 actual, compensatory and punitive damages, injunctive relief, any combi-
 nation of those or any other appropriate relief, as well  as  reasonable
 attorney's fees. SUCH CIVIL ACTION MAY PROCEED REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE
 DEFENDANT  WAS  CHARGED  OR CONVICTED OF A CRIMINAL OFFENSE AND SHALL BE
 DETERMINED UNDER A PREPONDERANCE  OF  THE  EVIDENCE  STANDARD  BASED  ON
 CONDUCT  PROHIBITED  BY  THE  ENUMERATED  SECTIONS  OR DESCRIBED IN THIS
 SUBDIVISION.
 S. 9960                             3
 
   (B) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS PARAGRAPH,  THE  TERM  "PARTICIPATES  IN"
 SHALL  MEAN  OWNERSHIP,  OPERATION,  MANAGEMENT, SUPERVISION, FINANCING,
 LEASING, MAINTAINING PREMISES, TRANSPORTATION, ADVERTISING,  RECORDKEEP-
 ING, SECURITY, RECRUITMENT, CONCEALMENT, OR OTHERWISE MATERIALLY ASSIST-
 ING WHERE SUCH CONDUCT SUBSTANTIALLY AIDS THE SEX TRAFFICKING VENTURE.
   (VIII)  IN  ANY ACTION BROUGHT PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION, THE COURT
 MAY AWARD ADDITIONAL PUNITIVE DAMAGES UPON A SHOWING  THAT  THE  DEFEND-
 ANT'S  CONDUCT WAS WILLFUL, WANTON, RECKLESS, MALICIOUS, OR IN CONSCIOUS
 DISREGARD OF THE RIGHTS AND SAFETY OF THE PLAINTIFF.
   (IX) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY:
   (A) IN NO ACTION BROUGHT PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL THE  DEATH
 OF  THE  HUMAN  TRAFFICKING VICTIM BRINGING THE ACTION OR THE DEATH OF A
 PERSON OR DISSOLUTION OF AN ENTITY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO  CORPO-
 RATIONS,  PARTNERSHIPS,  TRUSTS, OR ESTATES, AGAINST WHOM THE ACTION WAS
 BROUGHT BE A DEFENSE AGAINST SUCH ACTION.
   (B) AN ACTION MAY BE BROUGHT  PURSUANT  TO  THIS  SUBDIVISION  BY  THE
 PERSONAL  REPRESENTATIVE, ESTATE, SUCCESSORS, ASSIGNEES, OR DISTRIBUTEES
 OF A HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIM.
   (C) IN ANY ACTION BROUGHT PURSUANT TO  THIS  SUBDIVISION  AGAINST  THE
 PERSONAL  REPRESENTATIVE, ESTATE, SUCCESSORS, ASSIGNEES, OR DISTRIBUTEES
 OF A DECEASED PERSON LIABLE THEREFOR, THE COURT MAY AWARD  ANY  DAMAGES,
 INCLUDING  BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO  PUNITIVE DAMAGES, PERMITTED UNDER THIS
 SUBDIVISION.
   § 5. The civil practice law and rules  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 section 214-k to read as follows:
   §  214-K. ACTION BY CERTAIN VICTIMS OF SEX TRAFFICKING.  NOTWITHSTAND-
 ING ANY PROVISION OF LAW WHICH IMPOSES A PERIOD  OF  LIMITATION  TO  THE
 CONTRARY AND THE PROVISIONS OF ANY OTHER LAW PERTAINING TO THE FILING OF
 A  NOTICE  OF CLAIM OR A NOTICE OF INTENTION TO FILE A CLAIM AS A CONDI-
 TION PRECEDENT TO COMMENCEMENT OF AN ACTION OR SPECIAL PROCEEDING, EVERY
 CIVIL CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION BROUGHT AGAINST ANY PARTY ALLEGING INTEN-
 TIONAL OR NEGLIGENT ACTS OR OMISSIONS BY A PERSON FOR PHYSICAL,  PSYCHO-
 LOGICAL,  OR  OTHER  INJURY OR CONDITION SUFFERED AS A RESULT OF CONDUCT
 WHICH WOULD CONSTITUTE BENEFITING FROM  A  SEX  TRAFFICKING  VENTURE  OR
 AGGRAVATED BENEFITING FROM A SEX TRAFFICKING VENTURE AS DEFINED IN ARTI-
 CLE  TWO  HUNDRED  THIRTY  OF  THE  PENAL LAW, WHICH IS BARRED AS OF THE
 EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION BECAUSE THE APPLICABLE PERIOD OF  LIMITA-
 TION  HAS  EXPIRED,  AND/OR  THE  PLAINTIFF  PREVIOUSLY FAILED TO FILE A
 NOTICE OF CLAIM OR A NOTICE OF INTENTION TO  FILE  A  CLAIM,  IS  HEREBY
 REVIVED,  AND ACTION THEREON MAY BE COMMENCED NOT EARLIER THAN ONE MONTH
 AFTER, AND NOT LATER THAN ONE YEAR AFTER  THE  EFFECTIVE  DATE  OF  THIS
 SECTION.  IN  ANY  SUCH CLAIM OR ACTION, DISMISSAL OF A PREVIOUS ACTION,
 ORDERED BEFORE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, ON GROUNDS THAT  SUCH
 PREVIOUS ACTION WAS TIME BARRED, AND/OR FOR FAILURE OF A PARTY TO FILE A
 NOTICE  OF  CLAIM OR A NOTICE OF INTENTION TO FILE A CLAIM, SHALL NOT BE
 GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL OF A REVIVAL ACTION PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
   § 6. Paragraph 7 of subdivision (a) of rule 3403 of the civil practice
 law and rules, as amended by chapter 203 of the laws of 2022, is amended
 to read as follows:
   7. any action which has been revived pursuant to section  two  hundred
 fourteen-g  [or],  two  hundred  fourteen-j OR TWO HUNDRED FOURTEEN-K of
 this chapter.
   § 7. The judiciary law is amended by adding a  new  section  219-f  to
 read as follows:
   §  219-F.  RULES REVIVING CERTAIN ACTIONS; BENEFITING FROM A SEX TRAF-
 FICKING VENTURE. THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR OF THE COURTS SHALL  PROMULGATE
 S. 9960                             4
 
 RULES FOR THE TIMELY ADJUDICATION OF REVIVED ACTIONS BROUGHT PURSUANT TO
 SECTION TWO HUNDRED FOURTEEN-K OF THE CIVIL PRACTICE LAW AND RULES.
   § 8. Severability clause. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivi-
 sion,  section  or  part  of  this act shall be adjudged by any court of
 competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment  shall  not  affect,
 impair,  or  invalidate  the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in
 its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph,  subdivision,  section
 or part thereof directly involved in the controversy in which such judg-
 ment shall have been rendered. It is hereby declared to be the intent of
 the  legislature  that  this  act  would  have been enacted even if such
 invalid provisions had not been included herein.
   § 9. This act shall take effect immediately.

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Senate Bill S9960

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Codes Committee

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2025-S9960 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S9960 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S9960 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S9960 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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Sponsored By

Zellnor Myrie

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Codes Committee

Actions

2025-S9960 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S9960 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S9960 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S9960 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments