By Hank Russell
The New York State Senate approved by a 57-4 vote on April 4 a bill introduced by New York State Assemblyman Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove) that would decriminalize adultery. The only Long Island state senator to vote “no” was Monica Martinez (D-Hauppauge).
It was already approved by the Assembly on March 11 by a 137-10 vote. Michael Fitzpatrick (R,C,I-Smithtown) was the only Long Island Assembly member to vote against this bill.
As previously reported by Long Island Life & Politics, Lavine’s bill was unanimously approved by the Codes Committee on March 5. Under Lavine’s bill, adultery would no longer be a crime in New York State.
A Senate version of the bill was sponsored by Liz Kreuger (D,WF-Midtown East); it has yet to go to committee.
Since 1972, only 13 people have been charged with adultery, according to Lavine. Of those, only five were convicted of the crime. In virtually every one of those cases, there was some other crime involved, and the prosecuting attorney added adultery as just one of many crimes committed.
“I am extremely pleased that the Senate overwhelmingly agrees that this archaic statute needs to be wiped off the books,” Lavine said in a statement. “While there are plenty of laws whose purpose is directly to protect the community, some laws embody nothing more than someone’s idea of moral outrage. The targeted statute belongs in the latter category. If a law is not enforced, then there is no reason that it should be maintained.”
The bill is currently on Governor Kathy Hochul’s desk awaiting her signature to become law.