Senator Hoylman’s Domestic Violence Translation Bill Signed Into Law By Governor Cuomo

NEW YORK – On Saturday, Governor Cuomo signed into law legislation by Senator Brad Hoylman and Assemblymember Maritza Davila requiring local police departments to translate domestic violence incident reports when they are written in languages other than English. The bill, which passed the Senate in June, ensures that domestic violence victims are duly notified of their rights in their native language. Senator Hoylman introduced the legislation in response to the brutal murder last year of Deisy Garcia and her two daughters at the hands of Garcia's estranged husband after multiple domestic incident reports filed with the NYPD were not translated.

Senator Brad Hoylman said: “All domestic violence victims, no matter what language they speak, must have equal access to justice under the law. Deisy Garcia and her two young daughters lacked this fundamental right and paid for it with their lives, simply because their urgent pleas were not translated.

“With Governor Cuomo’s signature of the translation bill, however, New York is breaking down this language barrier and helping ensure the safety and security of all domestic violence victims. According to the law, when a non-English speaker fills out a domestic violence report, that report will be promptly translated into English so police can begin a proper investigation and require that all victims of domestic violence are informed of their rights in their own language.

“I’m extremely grateful to Governor Cuomo for making domestic violence translation the law of the land and sending a message that in the world’s melting pot, language will never be an impediment to justice.”