Loading chat...
NY S05921
Bill
Status
3/4/2025
Primary Sponsor
Alexis Weik
Click for details
AI Summary
-
Expands the legal definition of "person" in assault and homicide statutes to include an unborn child at any stage of gestation, allowing criminal charges when violence against a pregnant woman harms or kills her fetus
-
Creates explicit exemptions prohibiting prosecution for consensual abortions, medical treatment of the pregnant woman or her unborn child, or acts by the pregnant woman herself
-
Applies the expanded definition to multiple offense categories including murder, manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, assault, aggravated assault, and vehicular assault
-
References that 31 other states have similar fetal homicide protections and that federal "unborn victims of violence" law enacted in 2004 only covers federal crimes
-
Takes effect on November 1st following enactment
Legislative Description
Provides that either a person or an unborn child in any stage of gestation may be the victim of an assault or homicide; states situations when it does not constitute an assault on an unborn child such as during the course of an otherwise lawful abortion, during normal medical treatment or by the pregnant woman; defines "person" to include any human being who is born and is alive or an unborn child at any stage of gestation.
Last Action
REFERRED TO CODES
1/7/2026