The New York City Council - File #: Int 2133-2020

• File #: Int 2133-2020
• Version: *
• Name: Resources for survivors of sexual offenses.
• Type: Introduction
• Status: Filed (End of Session)
• Committee: Committee on Women and Gender Equity
• On agenda: 10/15/2020
• Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to resources for survivors of sexual offenses
• Sponsors: Helen K. Rosenthal, Ben Kallos, Margaret S. Chin
• Council Member Sponsors: 3
• Summary: This bill would codify the police department working group on sexual assault cases. The working group would include eight representatives from the police department and eight representatives from community based organizations and advocacy groups. The working group would be tasked with crafting a sexual assault survivor’s bill of rights, and would also develop a list of best practices for the special victims division to put in place for handling cases. The best practices would include recommendations about communication with survivors, information on mental health resources, and a recommendation to distribute the survivor’s bill of rights. The working group would continue to meet every three months to discuss and reform how sexual assault cases are handled.
• Indexes: Other Appointment Required

Date	Ver.	Prime Sponsor	Action By	Action	Result
12/31/2021	*	Helen K. Rosenthal	City Council	Filed (End of Session)
10/15/2020	*	Helen K. Rosenthal	City Council	Referred to Comm by Council
10/15/2020	*	Helen K. Rosenthal	City Council	Introduced by Council

Int. No. 2133

By Council Members Rosenthal, Kallos and Chin

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to resources for survivors of sexual offenses

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. Chapter 1 of title 14 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 14-180.1 to read as follows:

§ 14-180.1 Special victims case guidelines. a. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the term “sexual offense” means conduct defined under article 130 of the penal law.

b. Working group. 1. There shall be a sexual offense case working group. Such working group shall meet within 60 days of the effective date of this section, and at least once a quarter thereafter. The working group shall include:

(i) At least eight members of the police department to be designated by the police commissioner; and

(ii) At least five members from community based organizations to be appointed by the mayor, including individuals with expertise in sexual offense survivor advocacy, women’s rights advocacy, domestic violence survivor advocacy, sexual offense health treatment advocacy, at-risk youth programs, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, non-gender conforming, non-binary and intersex anti-violence advocacy, and survivors of sexual offenses.

2. On or before December 1, 2020, the working group shall develop a sexual offense survivor’s bill of rights, which shall include rights under chapter 238 of title 18 of the United States code, subdivision 13 of section 631 of the executive law, and sections 2805-i and 2805-p of the public health law, or any successor to such provisions, and any regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.

3. On or before December 1, 2020, the working group shall develop a list of best practices for investigating sexual offenses. Such list shall be distributed to police officers working in the special victims division of the police department. Such list shall include recommendations for communicating with survivors of sexual offenses on the status of their case and information about mental health resources available to survivors of sexual offenses. Such list shall also include a recommendation to distribute the survivor’s bill of rights to survivors of sexual offenses. The working group may amend the list from time to time as necessary to keep it current.

4. The working group shall continue to meet to discuss complaints to the police department about how sexual offense cases are handled and make recommendations for improving departmental practices in response to such complaints.

§ 2. This local law takes effect 120 days after it becomes law. The mayor and the police commissioner may take any steps necessary for the implementation of this local law before such effective date.

JG

LS # 9249

03/17/20 2:38 PM