Establishes an eight member temporary state commission called the "coercive abuse and neurological harm study commission"; directs the commission to review current scientific research regarding the neurological and psychological effects of prolonged emotional, psychological, and coercive abuse; examine existing New York state criminal, family, and civil statutes related to domestic violence and abuse; assess the feasibility of recognizing coercive psychological abuse resulting in demonstrable neurological or physical harm as an aggravating factor in existing offenses; evaluate evidentiary standards necessary to establish causation between abusive conduct and neurological injury; consider the potential legal, ethical, and constitutional implications of expanding statutory definitions of abuse; and recommend whether new statutory categories, sentencing enhancements, or civil remedies are appropriate.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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10332
IN SENATE
May 14, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sen. CHAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
AN ACT to establish a temporary state commission to study the recogni-
tion of coercive psychological, emotional, and financial abuse result-
ing in demonstrable physical or neurological harm
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Legislative findings and intent. 1. Domestic violence and
2 abuse encompass a range of behaviors including physical, sexual, psycho-
3 logical, emotional, and financial abuse.
4 2. Emerging medical and psychological research indicates that
5 prolonged exposure to coercive control, emotional abuse, and chronic
6 psychological trauma may result in measurable harm to neurological func-
7 tioning, including but not limited to stress-related brain changes,
8 cognitive impairment, and trauma-related neurological injury.
9 3. Current New York state law primarily addresses psychological abuse
10 through related offenses such as harassment, stalking, menacing, and
11 assault; however, there is no specific statutory framework addressing
12 long-term psychological coercion that results in demonstrable physical
13 or neurological injury.
14 4. It is in the interest of the state of New York to study whether
15 existing legal frameworks adequately address such harms and whether
16 reforms are warranted to better recognize patterns of coercive abuse
17 that result in medical or neurological injury.
18 § 2. Establishment of the commission. 1. There is hereby established
19 within the department of health, in consultation with the office for the
20 prevention of domestic violence, a temporary commission to be known as
21 the "coercive abuse and neurological harm study commission", hereinafter
22 known as "the commission".
23 2. Such commission shall consist of eight members appointed as
24 follows:
25 (a) One member appointed by the governor;
26 (b) One member appointed by the temporary president of the senate;
27 (c) One member appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
28 (d) One representative from the office for the prevention of domestic
29 violence;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15706-01-6
S. 10332 2
1 (e) One licensed neurologist specializing in trauma-related brain
2 injury;
3 (f) One licensed clinical psychologist with expertise in trauma and
4 domestic violence;
5 (g) One representative from law enforcement with experience in domes-
6 tic violence investigations; and
7 (h) One survivor advocate with experience in domestic abuse support
8 services.
9 3. Members of the commission shall designate a chair from the member-
10 ship thereof for a term of two years or until their term expires, which-
11 ever period is shorter. The chair or a member of the commission may call
12 a meeting.
13 4. Any vacancy occurring on the commission shall be filled within
14 thirty days of its occurrence in the same manner as the member whose
15 vacancy is being filled was appointed. A person appointed to fill a
16 vacancy occurring other than by expiration of a term of office shall be
17 appointed for the unexpired term of the member they succeed.
18 5. The members of the commission shall receive no compensation for
19 their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
20 incurred in the performance of their duties hereunder.
21 6. The commission may request and shall receive from any court,
22 department, division, board, or bureau, commission, or agency of the
23 state such assistance and data as will enable the commission to properly
24 carry out its powers and duties under this act.
25 § 3. Duties of the commission. The commission shall perform the
26 following tasks, including but not limited to:
27 1. Review current scientific research regarding the neurological and
28 psychological effects of prolonged emotional, psychological, and coer-
29 cive abuse;
30 2. Examine existing New York state criminal, family, and civil stat-
31 utes related to domestic violence and abuse;
32 3. Assess the feasibility of recognizing coercive psychological abuse
33 resulting in demonstrable neurological or physical harm as an aggravat-
34 ing factor in existing offenses;
35 4. Evaluate evidentiary standards necessary to establish causation
36 between abusive conduct and neurological injury, including but not
37 limited to traumatic brain injury;
38 5. Consider the potential legal, ethical, and constitutional impli-
39 cations of expanding statutory definitions of abuse; and
40 6. Recommend whether new statutory categories, sentencing enhance-
41 ments, or civil remedies are appropriate.
42 § 4. Report. 1. The commission shall submit a report of its findings
43 and recommendations to the governor, the temporary president of the
44 senate, and the speaker of the assembly within 12 months of its first
45 meeting.
46 2. Such report shall include, but not be limited to:
47 (a) A summary of scientific findings;
48 (b) Legal analysis of current statutory gaps;
49 (c) Recommendations for legislative action, if any; and
50 (d) Proposed model statutory language, if applicable.
51 § 5. No expansion of liability. Nothing in this act shall be construed
52 to create any new cause of action, criminal offense, or private right of
53 action prior to the submission of the commission's final report and any
54 subsequent legislative action.
55 § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.
