A New York Assembly working group will examine the state's sexual assault laws and develop recommendations for lawmakers before the end of the year, a review Assembly leaders linked to allegations involving former Cornell University students.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie announced the panel Sept. 30. Its 13 members include Anna Kelles, whose district includes Ithaca, Jennifer Lunsford and Charles Lavine. The group is expected to submit recommendations to Heastie and the Assembly majority for consideration in the 2027 legislative session; it has not announced legislation or changed current law.
Lavine, a Nassau County assemblymember and chair of the Judiciary Committee, issued a statement Tuesday after his appointment. He said he was troubled by the Cornell allegations and by efforts to blame the person who reported the assault. "The voices of crime victims must be listened to," he said.
Heastie said in announcing the group that its members would consider different perspectives on the statutes and seek ways to strengthen the law. The panel's assignment is to identify issues and propose legislative recommendations, not to investigate or decide the Cornell case.
The Tompkins County district attorney's office has reopened its review of sexual assault allegations involving seven former Cornell students. No criminal charges had been announced in that case at the time of the Assembly announcement. The allegations remain under review, and the panel's formation does not establish what happened in the underlying case.
Lavine said he hoped the panel's work would help protect New Yorkers. Its recommendations are due before year's end, leaving any proposed changes for lawmakers to consider in the next legislative session.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.