New York S 1283: Prohibits virginity examinations

Bill Text

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S01283 Summary:

BILL NOS01283 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS A01626

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SPONSORPERSAUD

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COSPNSRCLEARE, FERNANDEZ, HINCHEY, HOYLMAN-SIGAL, JACKSON, KRUEGER

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MLTSPNSR

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Add §267-c, Pub Health L

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Prohibits health care practitioners from performing a virginity examination or supervising the performance of a virginity examination on a patient; defines "virginity examination".

Go to top S01283 Actions:

BILL NOS01283 

&nbsp

01/09/2025REFERRED TO WOMEN'S ISSUES

01/07/2026REFERRED TO WOMEN'S ISSUES

Go to topS01283 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS01283 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS01283 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 1283

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 January 9, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sens. PERSAUD, FERNANDEZ, HINCHEY, HOYLMAN-SIGAL, JACKSON,
 KRUEGER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be
 committed to the Committee on Women's Issues

 AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to prohibiting
 virginity examinations

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. Legislative intent: Virginity examinations are gynecologi-
 2 cal examinations of the female genitalia purported to establish whether
 3 a female has had vaginal intercourse by correlating the absence of the
 4 hymen or vaginal wall laxity with sexual activity. Reproductive experts
 5 contend that there is no scientific merit or clinical indication for
 6 this type of examination, as these characteristics do not definitively
 7 prove that a female has had intercourse. Experts also note that there
 8 are significant adverse psychological and physical consequences for
 9 individuals who have been subjected to these tests. Numerous organiza-
 10 tions, including the World Health Organization, United Nations Human
 11 Rights Office, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and
 12 International Society for Sexual Medicine have called for the elimi-
 13 nation of virginity examinations as they are not medically indicated or
 14 valid procedures, and their performance violates the human rights of the
 15 individual subject to the test. It is the intent of the legislature to
 16 recognize that gynecological examinations purported to determine whether
 17 a female has had vaginal intercourse have no scientific merit, are not
 18 medically indicated, and cause psychological and physical trauma for the
 19 recipient; and as such, health care practitioners licensed by and prac-
 20 ticing in the state of New York should be prohibited from conducting or
 21 supervising these examinations.
 22 § 2. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 267-c to
 23 read as follows:

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD03315-01-5

 S. 1283 2

 1 § 267-c. Prohibition of virginity examinations. 1. For purposes of
 2 this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
 3 (a) "Virginity examination" shall mean any physical gynecological exam
 4 or inspection of the female genitalia purported to determine whether a
 5 female has previously had vaginal intercourse.
 6 (b) "Health care practitioner" means a health care practitioner
 7 licensed, certified or otherwise authorized to practice under title
 8 eight of the education law, acting within the practitioner's lawful
 9 scope of practice.
 10 2. No health care practitioner shall perform a virginity examination
 11 or supervise the performance of a virginity examination on a patient.
 12 3. This section shall not apply to any physical gynecological examina-
 13 tion conducted as part of a forensic medical examination.
 14 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

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