Title: New York Says "Bye-Bye" to Marital Infidelity Criminal Charges – What’s Next?
Well, here’s one to conjure up images of Jerry Springer: New York has officially decided to decriminalize adultery! That’s right, folks! It’s now legal to be a love rat in the state that never sleeps. Someone send me a confetti cannon and a bottle of cheap champagne!
Governor Kathy Hochul, bless her heart, signed this bill into law, and she did it with a twinkle in her eye. “While I have been blessed to have 40 years of loving marriage with my husband,” she mused sarcastically, “it is somewhat ironic that I would sign a bill decriminalizing adultery.” What a refreshing way to show that the government is more like a sitcom than a soap opera! If you think about it, this is peak New York: where the laws are as flexible as the morals!
Can we talk about the history, though? Since 1907, adultery was classified as a Class B misdemeanor—so, if you messed around, you could end up with a penal sentence that was more embarrassing than your parents finding out about your Tinder profile. Mind you, only about ten people have been charged under this law since 1972. That’s less than the number of times I’ve had to explain who Lee Evans is at dinner parties!
So, what prompted this radical change of heart? Well, Assemblyman Charles Lavine, who drafted the bill, pointed out that these marital hiccups clearly belong in the realm of personal drama, not criminal justice. Adultery should be handled at the kitchen table over a glass of wine, certainly not in a courtroom full of very serious people wearing little glasses and frowning.
Now, New York isn’t alone in this—only 16 states still consider adultery a crime. Join the club, Alabama! Florida, pack your bags—New York just became a preferred vacation spot for adults who enjoy a little extracurricular activity on the side.
But wait – does this mean you can now strut about town with your latest squeeze like you’re sporting a new designer handbag? Well, not quite. While criminal prosecution for infidelity is off the table, moral implications still linger over the family dinner table. If I was a cheating spouse, I wouldn’t be inviting my mother-in-law for Thanksgiving anytime soon! Insert awkward laughter here.
And let’s not forget, Hochul added that it’s time to "remove this silly, outdated statute." It’s about time someone walked into a room of lawmakers, whipped out a laser pointer, and said, “This law is older than my grandmother, and she’s been dead for 15 years!"
In summary, New York’s decision is a win for personal freedom, societal flexibility, and, let’s be honest, a little less embarrassment. Let’s just hope couples resolve their issues before reaching for the multimillion-dollar divorce lawyers—because nobody needs to hire legal help just because you decided that your marriage was too boring in the first place!
So, whether you’re celebrating, sulking, or just sipping on your overpriced latte, let’s raise a glass (or three) to our very own Garden State of Affairs! Cheers, New York! The stage is yours.
Please use WeChat Scan Scan the QR code above, then click the… icon in the upper right corner of the page, then click Send to friends or Share to Moments, Thanks! 2024-11-22 | Source: American Chinese Network | Go to WeChat | 0 people commented | Font: Enlarge Reduce | Collection | Print]]> In a significant shift for marital law in New York State, Governor Kathy Hochul signed a historic bill on Friday, officially decriminalizing adultery, a move long overdue in contemporary society.
“While I have been blessed to have 40 years of loving marriage with my husband, it is somewhat ironic that I would sign a bill decriminalizing adultery,” Hochul remarked in her statement following the signing. She underscored the complexities of personal relationships, advocating that such matters should be resolved privately rather than involving the criminal justice system. “Let’s remove this silly, outdated statute from the law once and for all,” she concluded with emphasis on progressive legal change.
For over a century, specifically since 1907, adultery in New York had been categorized as a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a fine of $500. The official legal definition pointed to a person engaging in sexual relations with someone who is married to another living spouse. A publicized incident soon after the law’s enactment highlighted the absurdity of this statute, when a married man and a 25-year-old woman were notably the first individuals arrested under this law shortly after its introduction.
New York Assemblyman Charles Lavine, who championed the bill to abolish the ban, stated that since 1972, only about ten individuals had been prosecuted under this law, with a mere five cases leading to convictions. Under the outdated provisions, individuals found guilty of marital infidelity faced the prospect of being jailed for up to 90 days or incurring fines, reflecting an era when personal relationships were subject to legal retribution.
Currently, New York joins the growing number of states recognizing the need for legal reform in family matters, as only 16 states still maintain laws that criminalize adultery, including Alabama, Florida, and North Carolina.
Your likes are an encouragement to us. No one has commented on this news yet. We are waiting for your comments.
