S2416

The New York State Senate passed S2416, legislation amending the Public Service Law to address domestic violence and intimate partner violence. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Parker, allows individuals in utility and phone contracts to break those agreements to prevent abusers from tracking their movements and terrorizing them. The measure passed on a 57-0 roll call vote. In remarks explaining his vote, Sen. Parker praised the legislation as an important step but called on the Senate, Assembly, and Governor to advance additional measures, including coercive control legislation and the Phoenix Act, to comprehensively address non-physical forms of abuse including psychological and mental abuse. Parker noted that many domestic violence crimes go unreported and that victims often feel trapped without knowing where to turn for help. He emphasized that abuse extends beyond physical violence to include tracking, intimidation, and psychological harm.