Int. No. 1795
By Council Members Brannan, Louis, Ayala, Kallos, Deutsch, Cornegy, Cumbo, Powers, Menchaca, Grodenchik, Chin, Rosenthal, Ampry-Samuel, Holden, Lander and Barron
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to expanding protections for victims of domestic violence to include economic abuse
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. The definition of “victim of domestic violence” in section 8-102 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by local law 63 of 2018, is amended to read as follows:
Victim of domestic violence. The term "victim of domestic violence" means:
1. A[a] person who has been subjected to acts or threats of violence, not including acts of self-defense, committed by a current or former spouse of the victim, by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabiting with or has cohabited with the victim, by a person who is or has been in a continuing social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim, or by a person who is or has continually or at regular intervals lived in the same household as the victim; or
2. A person who has been subjected to acts or threats of economic oppression, committed by a current or former spouse of the victim, a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, a person who is cohabiting with or has cohabited with the victim, a person who is or has been in a continuing social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim, or a person who is or has continually or at regular intervals lived in the same household as the victim. Economic oppression includes but is not limited to:
(a) Applying for a credit card, obtaining or refinancing a loan, obtaining or refinancing a mortgage, falsifying financial documents, or opening a financial account in the victim’s name without the victim’s consent; or
(b) The use of physical force or coercion to compel a victim to apply for a credit card, obtain or refinance a loan, obtain or refinance a mortgage, sign or authenticate a financial document, or open a financial account.
§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.
MJT/AW
LS #9948
4/3/2019