S1822 • 2025

Prohibits speech-based defenses to actions brought against an individual for the unlawful dissemination or publication of an intimate image

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Nathalia Fernandez
Last action: 2026-05-22
Official status: In Senate Committee
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Prohibits speech-based defenses to actions brought against an individual for the unlawful dissemination or publication of an intimate image

Prohibits speech-based defenses to actions brought against an individual for the unlawful dissemination or publication of an intimate image Prohibits speech-based defenses to actions brought against an individual for the unlawful dissemination of publication of an intimate image.

What This Bill Does

Prohibits speech-based defenses to actions brought against an individual for the unlawful dissemination or publication of an intimate image Prohibits speech-based defenses to actions brought against an individual for the unlawful dissemination of publication of an intimate image.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-05-22 Senate
AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO CODES
2026-05-22 Senate
PRINT NUMBER 1822A
2026-01-07 Senate
REFERRED TO CODES
2025-01-14 Senate
REFERRED TO CODES

Official Summary Text

Prohibits speech-based defenses to actions brought against an individual for the unlawful dissemination or publication of an intimate image
Prohibits speech-based defenses to actions brought against an individual for the unlawful dissemination of publication of an intimate image.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          1822

                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions

                                    I N  S E N A T E

                                    January 14, 2025
                                       ___________

        Introduced by Sen. FERNANDEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes

        AN  ACT  to amend the penal law and the civil rights law, in relation to
          prohibiting speech-based defenses to actions brought against an  indi-
          vidual  for  the  unlawful dissemination or publication of an intimate
          image

          THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
        BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

     1    Section  1. Section 245.15 of the penal law is amended by adding a new
     2  subdivision 5 to read as follows:
     3    5. IT SHALL NOT BE A DEFENSE TO ANY CRIMINAL ACTION BROUGHT AGAINST AN
     4  INDIVIDUAL PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION THAT SUCH DISSEMINATION OR  PUBLICA-
     5  TION OF AN INTIMATE IMAGE IS PROTECTED BY A RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH.
     6    §  2.  Section 52-b of the civil rights law is amended by adding a new
     7  subdivision 6-a to read as follows:
     8    6-A. IT SHALL NOT BE A DEFENSE TO ANY CIVIL ACTION BROUGHT AGAINST  AN
     9  INDIVIDUAL  PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION THAT SUCH DISSEMINATION OR PUBLICA-
    10  TION OF AN INTIMATE IMAGE IS PROTECTED BY A RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH.
    11    § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.





         EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD01205-01-5