Requires the office for the prevention of domestic violence provide informational materials on removing an abuser's access to a smart home and the use of other technology for harassment.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5455--A
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 14, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Governmental Operations -- committee discharged, bill
amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
tee
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to requiring the office
for the prevention of domestic violence provide informational materi-
als on the removal of accounts from smart home systems
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 577
2 to read as follows:
3 § 577. Informational materials on harassment through smart home
4 systems. 1. (a) In furtherance of the activities required in subdivision
5 three of section five hundred seventy-five of this article and within
6 amounts appropriated for such purpose, the office shall contract with an
7 organization designated by the federal department of health and human
8 services to coordinate statewide improvements within local communities,
9 social services systems, and programming regarding the prevention and
10 intervention of domestic violence in New York state to mutually develop
11 and promote information materials, including online resources and phys-
12 ical pamphlets for victims of domestic violence facing harassment
13 through smart home systems.
14 (b) Such resources shall include, but not be limited to, information
15 on devices commonly used to harass victims, the tactics commonly used to
16 harass victims, ways in which victims can enhance their safety with
17 respect to harassment through smart home systems and instructions for
18 removing an individual's access to a smart home system. Further, the
19 contracted organization shall make recommendations on policies and
20 priorities for reducing technology-facilitated abuse, including but not
21 limited to, harassment through safe home systems, cyber-harassment and
22 stalking.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06383-05-5
A. 5455--A 2
1 (c) For the purposes of this section, "smart home system" shall mean
2 any electronic device or technology installed directly into the home
3 which handles the security, climate and/or appliances in the home, that
4 is capable of connecting to the internet, directly or indirectly, that
5 is assigned an internet protocol address or bluetooth address, and has
6 computer processing capabilities for collecting, sending, receiving, or
7 analyzing data.
8 2. The informational materials required pursuant to subdivision one of
9 this section shall be provided by the office to domestic violence shel-
10 ters, local social services districts, local police departments, and
11 local childcare facilities to be distributed to potential victims of
12 domestic violence.
13 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
14 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
15 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of
16 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
17 on or before such date.
