STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9427
IN SENATE
March 11, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sens. CANZONERI-FITZPATRICK, WEIK -- read twice and
ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on
Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law and the executive law, in relation to
threats or harm to animals as a means of coercion or coercive control
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 135.60 of the penal law, as
2 amended by section 1 of part NN of chapter 55 of the laws of 2018, is
3 amended to read as follows:
4 1. Cause physical injury to a person or animal; or
5 § 2. Subparagraph (i) of paragraph (o) of subdivision 3 of section 575
6 of the executive law, as amended by chapter 23 of the laws of 2023, is
7 amended to read as follows:
8 (i) Within amounts appropriated for such purpose, the office shall
9 contract with an organization designated by the federal department of
10 health and human services to coordinate statewide improvements within
11 local communities, social services systems, and programming regarding
12 the prevention and intervention of domestic violence in New York state
13 to mutually develop a training program as described in this paragraph.
14 The office and such organization shall be responsible for providing such
15 training to psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers who are
16 licensed in the state of New York, so that such individuals may conduct
17 court ordered forensic evaluations, involving child custody and visita-
18 tion pursuant to paragraph (a-3) of subdivision one of section two
19 hundred forty of the domestic relations law; for consulting with domes-
20 tic violence service providers and representative organizations in the
21 field of domestic violence when such training is provided in their
22 communities; and for reviewing and updating training topics at least
23 once every two years. Such training shall include, but not be limited
24 to, a review of: relevant statutes; case law and psychological defi-
25 nitions of domestic violence; coercive control, including through the
26 use of threats or harm to animals, and child abuse; the dynamics and
27 effects of domestic violence and child abuse, including but not limited
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15135-01-6
S. 9427 2
1 to, emotional, financial, physical, technological and sexual abuse; the
2 barriers and fears associated with reporting domestic violence and child
3 abuse and why victims may not have documented evidence of abuse; tactics
4 commonly used by one party to induce fear in another party or child,
5 including verbal, emotional, psychological, and/or economic abuse,
6 isolating techniques, coercive control, including through the use of
7 threats or harm to animals, and monitoring of a partner's location and
8 activities; litigation abuse and demands for custody or joint custody in
9 order to pressure the partner to return or punish the partner for leav-
10 ing; trauma, particularly as it relates to sexual abuse and the risks
11 posed to children and the long-term dangers and impacts imposed by the
12 presence of adverse childhood experiences; the increased risk of esca-
13 lating violence that occurs during child custody proceedings; and the
14 danger of basing child custody decisions on claims that a child's defi-
15 cient or negative relationship with a parent is caused by the other
16 parent.
17 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
