Albany, NY – In a long-awaited action that advances public safety, the New York State Legislature has unanimously passed A1029-B Kelles/S3967-B Sepulveda. The Assembly passed the bill with bipartisan support on June 17th. The Senate passed the bill with bipartisan support on June 11th.

This legislation grants conditional immunity for individuals who are sex trafficked who witness or are victims of a crime – removing a major barrier to seeking help, reporting abuse, and accessing medical care. The bill now heads to Governor Kathy Hochul for her consideration.

The legislation is designed to break down barriers that have long prevented individuals who are sex trafficked from seeking help or cooperating with law enforcement – often out of fear that they themselves could be arrested or prosecuted. By offering specific protections, the bill ensures that witnesses can report crimes like assault, trafficking, or murder without facing criminal prosecution.

“Fear of prosecution deters many victims of crime, including victims of sex trafficking, from seeking the help of law enforcement or health care services. This shortsighted practice only serves to shield perpetrators and silence those that have experienced violence or trafficking. This common sense legislation gives immunity to sex workers for the purpose of reporting a crime or seeking health care as a result of that crime. This protection will help law enforcement pursue perpetrators of violent crimes and removes barriers to justice that have long impacted survivors of trafficking. I’m proud to have stood alongside passionate advocates who fought tirelessly for its passage, and I look forward to seeing the meaningful improvements to safety that this bill will have in our communities.” Assemblymember Anna Kelles, 125th District

"This legislation is about justice and compassion. No one should be afraid to report a crime or seek help because of their past or current circumstances. With S1966, we are ensuring that victims and witnesses involved in prostitution are protected, not punished – so they can come forward without fear and help us hold perpetrators accountable." -Senator Luis R. Sepúlveda, 32^nd District

"Let me be clear about what this bill does do and what the bill does not do. First, it does NOT legalize prostitution... period. Many of these women (and sometimes men) are being forced, either through coercion, blackmail or threats, to engage in sexual activity. Passing this legislation helps law enforcement and it helps these victims. It sends the message to the victims, that they can help the police without hurting themselves. Bottom line, this will help police go after and get the pimps and the traffickers off the streets. That's a good thing!" - Senator, Dean Murray, 3rd District

"I want to applaud Assemblywoman Kelles and Senator Sepulveda for working across the aisle to pass bipartisan legislation that will have an immediate impact on victims of human trafficking," said Assemblyman Brian Maher. "As Co-Chair of the Assembly Minority Task Force on Human Trafficking, we traveled throughout the state and heard from hundreds of stakeholders, including survivors of trafficking. We believe this bill has the potential to change a culture of fear and distrust between victims and law enforcement, first responders and our healthcare system in general. We know we have more work to do but this is a step in the right direction to help victims right now." Assemblymember Brian Maher, 101^st District.

Advocates note that such a law could have made a difference in the long-delayed investigation of the Gilgo Beach serial killings. Many women who were aware of the accused killer, Rex Heruermann, were victims of sex trafficking and their fear of arrest prevented them from speaking to authorities.

“If this law had been in place sooner, it’s possible more people would have felt safe to come forward – and we might have caught the Gilgo Beach killer years ago,” said Laura Mullen, a sex trafficking survivor from Long Island. “This legislation is about protecting people, solving crimes, and saving lives.”

The bill is supported by a broad coalition of survivors, legal advocates, anti-trafficking organizations, public health leaders, and law enforcement leaders including the Albany and Putnam County District Attorneys.

Nine other states currently have immunity laws in place, including Alaska, Oregon, California, Washington, Utah, New Hampshire, Vermont, Montana and Colorado. Similar legislation is pending in Hawaii, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Nevada.