Assembly Passes CREEP Act Unanimously, Advancing Landmark Stalking Protections to Governor’s Desk
Editor’s note: See our previous coverage of the CREEP Act: our article about the relationship requirement, an opinion about the same requirement and what it does for law enforcement, and our discussion with Senator Scarcella-Spanton. At this point, readers who are concerned are urged to contact the Governor’s Office to encourage her to sign the bill into law. It’s no longer in the hands of the Assembly, but awaits action by Governor Hochul.
The following questions were submitted to Assemblymember Gonzalez-Rojas about the CREEP Act, which had been stuck in the Committee until very recently. We also reached out to the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, who directed us to her. See below these questions and answers for a statement from the chair of the Judiciary Committee in the Assembly, which this act first advanced out of (questions in bold, answers in italics):
Q: Specifically, we have noticed that it has been stuck in the Judiciary Committee for the whole legislative session so far, and wanted to know if there is a possibility it will be passed this session. What would need to happen in order for that to occur? Are there advocates working on this, pushing the assembly members to bring it to the floor? Is there something that our readers or other organizations could do to help push this along?
A: Thank you so much for your interest in the CREEP Act and seeing it get passed this session! The best way to ensure this happens is to make sure you/ your readers call the members of the judiciary committee, as well as the Speaker of the Assembly, and let them know how important it is to see the CREEP Act be passed into law this session.
Q: Has the governor signaled support for this bill to your knowledge?
A: At this time, we do not have information regarding whether the Governor is in support of the bill, I would recommend reaching out to her office for further questions.
Q: Can you also tell me if there are any police or law enforcement agencies or individuals that also support this legislation?
A: Regarding law enforcement support, Albany County District Attorney Lee C. Kindlon, and Brooklyn District Attorney Erik Gonzalez are strong supporters of the CREEP Act. They both understand the value of passing legislation like the CREEP Act immediately.
In addition, The District Attorneys Association of the State of New York support this legislation as well.
NYS Assemblymember Charles D. Lavine, Chair of the Judiciary Committee, said, “I am a co-sponsor of this important piece of proposed legislation. I am very optimistic that it is going to become law.”
ALBANY, NY – The New York State Assembly today unanimously passed the CREEP Act (A.3226A), landmark legislation sponsored by Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas and Senator Andrew Gounardes. Having previously passed the State Senate, the bill now heads to the Governor’s desk for consideration.
The Ceasing Repeated and Extremely Egregious Predatory (CREEP) Behavior Act would close a longstanding gap in New York law by allowing victims of stalking and harassment to seek civil orders of protection regardless of their relationship to the perpetrator.
Under current law, many victims targeted by strangers, acquaintances, coworkers, neighbors, or online harassers are unable to obtain civil orders of protection because they do not meet New York’s narrow relationship requirements. The CREEP Act would create a new civil anti-stalking order that allows courts to intervene before behavior escalates into violence, while maintaining due process protections through judicial review and evidentiary standards.
The legislation modernizes New York’s response to stalking and harassment in an era where abuse increasingly occurs online. The bill would provide a pathway for victims of cyberstalking, doxxing, nonconsensual intimate imagery, AI-generated deepfakes, and other forms of technology-facilitated abuse to seek protection through the civil court system.
New York is currently one of only a handful of states that does not provide comprehensive civil anti-stalking protections for victims regardless of their relationship to the offender. The CREEP Act would bring New York in line with the vast majority of states that already provide these protections.
Assembly Member González-Rojas carried the legislation in the Assembly and worked alongside survivors, advocates, legal experts, and stakeholders to advance the bill through the legislative process. The legislation received support from victim advocacy organizations, District Attorneys, legal practitioners, and survivor-led organizations across New York and the nation.
With passage in both houses of the Legislature, the CREEP Act now awaits action by Governor Kathy Hochul.
Banner Image: Press conference in support of CREEP Act passage. Image Credit – Asm. Gonzalez-Rojas
Assemblymember González-Rojas
It is a great honor to serve as the Assembly Member for District 34, which encompasses the neighborhoods of Astoria, Corona, East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, and Woodside in Queens. I am proud to be the first person of color, woman of color, and Latina to represent my district, which is one of the most diverse in the world. As a long-time community activist, I fight for social justice reforms for all New Yorkers. Over the past couple of years, I've worked tirelessly for policies that will create greater, dignified access to food, housing, healthcare, public transportation, education and more for every single resident of this state.