What's happening
This bill prohibits health care practitioners in New York from performing or supervising virginity examinations, except in forensic cases.
Why it matters
Addresses a Human Rights Issue. The bill responds to growing global concern over virginity examinations, which several international and medical organizations have condemned as a violation of human rights and bodily autonomy.
Protects Against Pseudoscientific Practices. By prohibiting these exams, the bill affirms that virginity testing has no scientific validity or medical justification, helping to ensure medical care in New York is based on evidence and ethics.
Reduces Psychological and Physical Harm. The legislation aims to prevent the trauma—both psychological and physical—that individuals subjected to virginity exams may experience, safeguarding patient well-being.
Provides Forensic Exception. The bill carves out an exception for forensic medical examinations (such as in sexual assault investigations), ensuring legitimate medical-legal needs are still accommodated.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Virginity Exams
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
24 Co-sponsors
- Andrew Hevesi
- Jonathan Jacobson
- Jo Anne Simon
- Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn
- Rebecca Seawright
- Jeffrey Dinowitz
- Stefani Zinerman
- Linda Rosenthal
- Maritza Davila
- Didi Barrett
- Catalina Cruz
- Steven Otis
- Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas
- Anna Kelles
- Phil Steck
- MaryJane Shimsky
- Tony Simone
- Dana Levenberg
- Chris Burdick
- Harvey Epstein
- Yudelka Tapia
- Joe DeStefano
- David Weprin
- Charles Lavine
History
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
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 Virginity Examinations
In Senate Committee · Women's Issues · Sponsor Roxanne J. Persaud
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1626
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 10, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. SOLAGES, HEVESI, JACOBSON, SIMON, BICHOTTE HERME- LYN, SEAWRIGHT, DINOWITZ, ZINERMAN, ROSENTHAL, DAVILA, BARRETT, CRUZ, OTIS, GONZALEZ-ROJAS, KELLES, STECK, SHIMSKY, SIMONE, LEVENBERG, BURDICK, EPSTEIN, TAPIA, DeSTEFANO -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to prohibiting virginity examinations
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Legislative intent: Virginity examinations are gynecological examinations of the female genitalia purported to establish whether a female has had vaginal intercourse by correlating the absence of the hymen or vaginal wall laxity with sexual activity. Reproductive experts contend that there is no scientific merit or clinical indication for this type of examination, as these characteristics do not definitively prove that a female has had intercourse. Experts also note that there are significant adverse psychological and physical consequences for individuals who have been subjected to these tests. Numerous organizations, including the World Health Organization, United Nations Human Rights Office, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and International Society for Sexual Medicine have called for the elimination of virginity examinations as they are not medically indicated or valid procedures, and their performance violates the human rights of the individual subject to the test. It is the intent of the legislature to recognize that gynecological examinations purported to determine whether a female has had vaginal intercourse have no scientific merit, are not medically indicated, and cause psychological and physical trauma for the recipient; and as such, health care practitioners licensed by and practicing in the state of New York should be prohibited from conducting or supervising these examinations.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03315-01-5
§ 2. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 267-c to read as follows:
§ 267-c. Prohibition of virginity examinations. 1. For purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) "Virginity examination" shall mean any physical gynecological exam or inspection of the female genitalia purported to determine whether a female has previously had vaginal intercourse.
(b) "Health care practitioner" means a health care practitioner licensed, certified or otherwise authorized to practice under title eight of the education law, acting within the practitioner's lawful scope of practice.
2. No health care practitioner shall perform a virginity examination or supervise the performance of a virginity examination on a patient.
3. This section shall not apply to any physical gynecological examination conducted as part of a forensic medical examination.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
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.