Albany must pass sex harassment bills

 Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas, a Democrat from Long Island City, and State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, a Democrat from the Bronx, are taking the lead on this issue. Simotas and Biaggi sponsored many of the bills that have been offered.

One Simotas-Biaggi measure would require settlements relating to sexual harassment, sexual assault or discrimination to be disclosed to the state attorney general’s office. The office could then investigate any individual or institution that had settled more than three times.

Simotas and Biaggi also sponsored a bill to extend the time to file a sexual harassment complaint from one year to three years.

Another Simotas-Biaggi bill would mandate annual bystander intervention training for sexual harassment prevention for all state employees.