NY Gov. Cuomo Wants to Ban Sex Offenders from Subways
N.Y. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the 33rd proposal of his 2020 State of the State agenda, which includes banning repeat and high-risk sexual offenders from accessing the MTA subway, bus and rail systems.
The legislation would prohibit individuals who commit repeat sex-related violations of the MTA code of conduct, or who are high-risk sex offenders (Level 3), from using MTA transportation services for a period of three years. The proposal is in response to a number of recent MTA incidents involving repeat sex offenders.
"MTA riders deserve to feel safe, and we have an obligation to ensure they will not be targeted by sex offenders," Governor Cuomo said. "Enough is enough. If we want our public transit system to improve, we need balance between someone's right to access public transit and the riders' right to safety, which is why I am proposing a three-year ban from the MTA transit systems as a penalty for individuals who repeatedly engage in this abhorrent behavior."
Additionally, the proposal establishes a new law for transit-related sex crime where, if an offender is convicted, a prohibition order may be imposed by a judge to ensure the safety of the public. Under this proposal, as a condition of pre-trial release, the judge may also issue a temporary prohibition order. Individuals who violate a prohibition order could be charged with Transit Trespass, an A misdemeanor.
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