What's happening
This bill makes it a class B felony to unlawfully buy or sell a child, with exceptions for legal adoption-related expenses.
Why it matters
Explicitly criminalizes the act of buying or selling a minor child, making it a serious offense (class B felony), which underscores the state's commitment to protecting children from trafficking and exploitation.
Clarifies that legal adoption procedures, including payment for prenatal, medical, legal, and court costs, are not criminalized—helping to protect legitimate adoption practices and reduce confusion for prospective adoptive parents.
Addresses a potential legal gap by specifically defining and penalizing child-buying and child-selling, which may not have been as clearly or uniformly prosecuted under previous statutes.
Signals stronger deterrence against child trafficking in New York, potentially influencing broader policy discussions and providing clarity to law enforcement, courts, and child welfare agencies.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Sale of Children
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
3 Co-sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3908
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 31, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. HYNDMAN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to unlawfully buying or selling a child
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The penal law is amended by adding a new section 260.07 to read as follows: § 260.07 Unlawfully buying or selling a child.
1. It shall be unlawful for any person to sell or purchase a minor child.
2. It shall not be a violation of this section if the only consideration paid by the person receiving or to receive the child is intended to pay for the prenatal hospital or medical expenses involved in the birth of the child, or attorneys' fees and court costs involved in effectuating transfer of child custody consistent with the provisions of subdivision six of section three hundred seventy-four of the social services law.
Unlawfully buying or selling a child is a class B felony.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06245-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.