S 5521: Adds the definition of consent to the terms of general use; defines it as a freely given, knowledgeable and informed agreement by a person with the capacity to reason.
What S 5521 does, verified January 8, 2026
The bill aims to clarify the definition of consent in New York law. It defines consent as a freely given, knowledgeable, and informed agreement by a person with the capacity to reason. This change is intended to improve clarity and understanding of the concept of consent in various legal contexts. The bill takes effect 90 days after it becomes a law.
Bill journey
1IntroducedCurrent
2In CommitteePending
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: REFERRED TO CODES (2026-01-07)Alert me
Quick answers about S 5521
- What is the current status of S 5521?
- As of January 8, 2026, S 5521 is recorded as "Introduced": it has been introduced and is waiting for its first committee hearing or floor vote. The last recorded action, on January 7, 2026, was "REFERRED TO CODES".
- Did S 5521 pass?
- Not yet. S 5521 has been introduced and has not passed either house.
- Who wrote S 5521, and where is it now?
- S 5521 was authored by Sen. James Sanders with 1 coauthor. Its committee of record is Senate Codes. It is filed under Penal, alongside 132 other New York Penal bills this session.
Author and sponsors
Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions2 total · showing 2
| Jan. 07, 2026 | REFERRED TO CODES |
| Feb. 24, 2025 | REFERRED TO CODES |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, February 24, 2025 · 158 words
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 5521 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN SENATE February 24, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sens. SANDERS, STAVISKY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to the definition of consent The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 10.00 of the penal law is amended by adding a new 2 subdivision 23 to read as follows: 3 23. "Consent" means a freely given, knowledgeable and informed agree- 4 ment by a person with the capacity to reason. 5 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall 6 have become a law. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD01030-01-5
Text of S 5521 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions