S5505

The New York State Senate passed S5505, sponsored by Sen. Salazar, an act to amend the Social Services Law. The bill received approval on a roll call vote with 59 ayes and no recorded opposition. The measure takes effect immediately upon passage.

The New York State Senate passed legislation to amend the Penal Law on a roll call vote of 54-0. Senate Print 5505, sponsored by Sen. Scarcella-Spanton and assigned Calendar Number 651, was advanced without floor debate. The measure takes effect immediately upon enactment.

The New York State Senate passed legislation Tuesday that expands the definition of stalking in the fourth degree to include technology-assisted tracking methods. Senate Print 5505, sponsored by Sen. Scarcella-Spanton, redefines "following" to encompass the use of devices or computers to gain access to, record, track or report a person's movement or location without permission. The bill passed on a 61-0 roll call vote. Sen. Scarcella-Spanton argued that rapid technological advancement has created new stalking methods—including Apple tags and Find My iPhone—that current law fails to address. "For far too long victims have lived in a constant state of fear of someone accessing their location through technology, with no avenue for recourse," she said. The legislation aims to send a clear message that technology-assisted stalking causes equal harm to victims' mental and emotional well-being as traditional stalking methods, and provides legal recourse for victims of location-based harassment in an increasingly interconnected world.