What's happening
This bill makes it illegal for school employees to engage in sexual conduct with elementary or secondary school students, regardless of consent.
Why it matters
Creates a clear legal boundary. By explicitly defining that elementary or secondary school students cannot consent to sexual conduct with school employees, the bill removes ambiguity and strengthens protections for minors in educational settings.
Covers a broad range of adults in schools. The definition of "school employee" includes not just paid staff but also volunteers, expanding the law’s reach to anyone in a position of authority or trust within a school environment.
Targets power imbalances. The law focuses on situations where the adult is at least 18 years old and more than four years older than the student, directly addressing potential abuses of authority and ensuring age-appropriate boundaries.
Closes potential legal loopholes. By specifying that even if a student is above the age of consent, they still cannot legally consent to sexual conduct with a school employee, the bill prevents defenses based on "consensual" relationships in cases involving minors and school staff.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Student-Staff Sex Consent
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Ban Student-Employee Sex
In Assembly Committee · Codes · Sponsor Aileen Gunther
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2025
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 18, 2019
Introduced by Sens. LITTLE, LANZA, SEWARD -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to providing that an elementary or secondary school student shall be incapable of consenting to sexual conduct with a school employee
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 130.00 of the penal law is amended by adding a new subdivision 14 to read as follows:
14. "School employee" shall mean any person defined as an "employee" or "volunteer" pursuant to section eleven hundred twenty-five of the education law.
§ 2. Paragraphs (i) and (j) of subdivision 3 of section 130.05 of the penal law, paragraph (i) as amended and paragraph (j) as added by section 1 of part JJ of chapter 55 of the laws of 2018, are amended and a new paragraph (k) is added to read as follows:
(i) a resident or inpatient of a residential facility operated, licensed or certified by (i) the office of mental health; (ii) the office for people with developmental disabilities; or (iii) the office of alcoholism and substance abuse services, and the actor is an employee of the facility not married to such resident or inpatient. For purposes of this paragraph, "employee" means either: an employee of the agency operating the residential facility, who knows or reasonably should know that such person is a resident or inpatient of such facility and who provides direct care services, case management services, medical or other clinical services, habilitative services or direct supervision of the residents in the facility in which the resident resides; or an officer or other employee, consultant, contractor or volunteer of the residential facility, who knows or reasonably should know that the person is a resident of such facility and who is in direct contact with residents or inpatients; provided, however, that the provisions of this paragraph
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01866-01-9
S. 2025 2
shall only apply to a consultant, contractor or volunteer providing services pursuant to a contractual arrangement with the agency operating the residential facility or, in the case of a volunteer, a written agreement with such facility, provided that the person received written notice concerning the provisions of this paragraph; provided further, however, "employee" shall not include a person with a developmental disability who is or was receiving services and is also an employee of a service provider and who has sexual contact with another service recipient who is a consenting adult who has consented to such contact; [or]
(j) detained or otherwise in the custody of a police officer, peace officer, or other law enforcement official and the actor is a police officer, peace officer or other law enforcement official who either: (i) is detaining or maintaining custody of such person; or (ii) knows, or reasonably should know, that at the time of the offense, such person was detained or in custody[.]; or
(k) a student at an elementary or secondary school, and the actor:
(i) is a school employee at the same school or co-located school such student attends, and
(ii) is eighteen years of age or older and more than four years older than such student at the time of the act, and
(iii) is not married to such student, and
(iv) knows or reasonably should know that such person is a student at such school or co-located school, and
(v) he or she is not a student at the same school.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the penal law, in relation to providing that an elemen- tary or secondary school student shall be incapable of consenting to sexual conduct with a school employee
Purpose
To criminalize school employees for sexual conduct with full time students of elementary and secondary schools.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 - Amends section 130.00 of the penal law by defining "school employee."
Section 2 - Amends paragraph (i) of subdivision 3 of section 130.05 of the penal law and adds a new paragraph to include school employees, being eighteen years of older, at the same school of such student attends to be charged if sexual conduct occurs.
Section 3 - Contains the effective date.
Existing law
Section 130.05 provides for the definition of sex offense with lack of consent as rape in the third degree, which is a class E felony and carries a sentence of 1 1/3 to 4 years imprisonment.
Justification
This legislation seeks to assign a criminal penalty to those persons who engage in sexual conduct with a person that he or she knows or reason- ably should know is a full time student at the school that they are employed.
Children need to be protected from those in positions of power who may try and manipulate them into engaging in sexual activities, even if they are at the age of consent. There have been far too many instances of inappropriate sexual conduct between teachers and their students.
This legislation also defines the term school employee to mean any person defined as an employee or volunteer pursuant to section 1125 of the education law. Any person receiving compensation from a school district where services performed involved district student contact and any person, other than an employee, who provide services to a school or school district, which involve direct student contact would be consid- ered a school employee. This legislation addresses any possible adult that is in a position of trust in a school.
Twenty other states have recognized the seriousness of the issue and criminalize this conduct under their current statutes.
Legislative history
2017-18: S.2582/A.1849: Referred Codes; Referred Codes 2015-2016: S.819-A Passed Senate; Referred to Assembly Codes Committee 2013-2014: S. 1358A Passed Senate 2012: Passed Senate 2009/10: Referred to Codes 2007/08: Passed Senate 2006: Passed Senate
Fiscal implications
None.
Local fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.