S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4862
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 6, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  CUNNINGHAM -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A.
   GONZALEZ-ROJAS, RAGA, VANEL -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Judiciary
 
 AN ACT to amend the general obligations law, in relation to implementing
   the "Cassie's law"
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Short  title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 the "Cassie's law".
   § 2. Article 5 of the general obligations law is amended by  adding  a
 new title 18 to read as follows:
                                  TITLE 18
           CERTAIN CONTRACTS RENDERING CRIMINAL ASSISTANCE VOID
 
 SECTION 5-1801. CERTAIN CONTRACTS RENDERING CRIMINAL ASSISTANCE VOID.
   § 5-1801. CERTAIN CONTRACTS RENDERING CRIMINAL ASSISTANCE VOID. 1. FOR
 THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, A PERSON OR PRIVATE ENTITY "RENDERS CRIMI-
 NAL  ASSISTANCE"  WHEN,  WITH  INTENT  TO  PREVENT,  HINDER OR DELAY THE
 DISCOVERY OR APPREHENSION OF,  OR  THE  LODGING  OF  A  CRIMINAL  CHARGE
 AGAINST,  AN ALLEGED OFFENDER WHO SUCH PERSON OR PRIVATE ENTITY KNOWS OR
 BELIEVES HAS COMMITTED A CRIME OR IS BEING  SOUGHT  BY  LAW  ENFORCEMENT
 OFFICIALS  FOR  THE COMMISSION OF A CRIME, SUCH PERSON OR PRIVATE ENTITY
 SUPPRESSES, BY ANY ACT OF CONCEALMENT, ALTERATION  OR  DESTRUCTION,  ANY
 PHYSICAL  EVIDENCE  WHICH  MIGHT AID IN THE DISCOVERY OR APPREHENSION OF
 SUCH ALLEGED OFFENDER OR IN THE LODGING OF  A  CRIMINAL  CHARGE  AGAINST
 SUCH  ALLEGED  OFFENDER IN EXCHANGE FOR MONETARY OR NON-MONETARY COMPEN-
 SATION.
   2. EVERY UNDERTAKING OR PROMISE, WHETHER WRITTEN OR ORAL,  EXPRESS  OR
 IMPLIED,  CONSTITUTING  OR  CONTAINED,  IN  ANY CONTRACT OR AGREEMENT TO
 RENDER CRIMINAL ASSISTANCE BETWEEN ANY INDIVIDUAL OR PRIVATE ENTITY,  IS
 HEREBY  DECLARED  TO  BE  CONTRARY TO PUBLIC POLICY AND WHOLLY VOID. THE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08553-01-5
              

 A. 4862                             2
 
 VICTIM OF A CRIME, WHO WAS THE SUBJECT OF THE  UNDERTAKING  OR  PROMISE,
 WHETHER  WRITTEN OR ORAL, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, CONSTITUTING OR CONTAINED,
 IN ANY CONTRACT OR AGREEMENT TO RENDER CRIMINAL ASSISTANCE  BETWEEN  ANY
 INDIVIDUAL  OR  PRIVATE  ENTITY,  SHALL  HAVE  A RIGHT OF PRIVATE ACTION
 AGAINST SUCH INDIVIDUAL OR PRIVATE ENTITY.
   3. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE DEEMED TO  ABROGATE  OR  OTHERWISE
 LIMIT ANY RIGHT OR REMEDY OTHERWISE CONFERRED BY FEDERAL OR STATE LAW.
   4.  A  CAUSE  OF ACTION UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE COMMENCED NO LATER
 THAN FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE A CRIME VICTIM  DISCOVERS,  OR  REASONABLY
 SHOULD  HAVE  DISCOVERED, SUCH CONCEALMENT OF A CRIME BY EITHER A PERSON
 OR PRIVATE ENTITY.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.