A group of New York lawmakers announced Thursday that they will work to pass several bills relating to the state’s laws on sexual assault and consent during the upcoming legislative session in January.
The move comes amid continued public outrage over an alleged gang rape at Cornell University in 2024.
State Senator Lea Webb, whose district includes Ithaca, said the bills are one way to address gaps in the state’s laws on consent and sexual violence.
“We have to examine other legislation pertaining to these issues. And so working with our advocates, most certainly centering the voices of victims and survivors is paramount,” said Webb during an online press conference Thursday morning.
Webb is chair of the New York State Senate Women's Issues Committee.
The proposed bills would remove what some lawmakers consider loopholes in the law that prevents victims who voluntarily consumed drugs or alcohol from seeking justice. This will not be the first time legislators have attempted to change the laws.
During a press conference on Friday morning, Governor Kathy Hochul said she was in favor of the legislation and that it is something lawmakers could “easily take up early in the session.”
Hochul said “new reporting raises serious questions” about the information Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten relied upon when he made the decision to not pursue criminal charges in 2024.
She appointed state Attorney General Letitia James as the special prosecutor in charge of an inquiry into the Cornell rape case.
In a statement, Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said “it has become clear that we were not provided the full picture by the University. The focus has been and should continue to be on the victims. My office will cooperate fully with the Attorney General.”
