S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                      4584
                           1997-1998 Regular Sessions
                              I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                February 20, 1997
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    Introduced  by  M. of A. McGEE, ANDERSON, CROUCH, DINGA -- read once and
      referred to the Committee on Codes
    AN ACT to amend the  civil  practice  law  and  rules,  in  relation  to
      commencement of certain actions relating to sex offenses
      The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
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    bly, do enact as follows:
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 1    Section 1. The civil practice law and rules is amended by adding a new
 2  section 208-a to read as follows:
 3     208-a. Sex offenses; commencement of civil actions.  1.  Any  person
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 4  against  whom  a  criminal  action has been commenced which accuses such
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 5  person of any offense defined pursuant to the provisions of article  one
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 6  hundred  thirty  of  the  penal  law  shall  not commence a civil action
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 7  against the victim of the offense of which such person is accused if:
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 8    (a) there has been no termination of such criminal action; and
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 9    (b) the civil act is based on accusations, statements, allegations  or
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10  reports  made by the victim with reference to an incident from which the
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11  criminal action arises.
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12    2. If a civil action is commenced in violation of subdivision  one  of
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13  this section, a dismissal of the action shall be granted with or without
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14  the  prejudice  as determined by the court on motion by any party or the
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15  court.
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16    3. The time from the commencement of the criminal action to the termi-
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17  nation of such action shall not be considered as a portion of  the  time
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18  within  which  the civil action, as described in subdivision one of this
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19  section, must be commenced.
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20    4. As used in this section,  "victim"  means  any  person  alleged  or
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21  found,  upon  the record, to have been the object of any offense defined
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22  pursuant to the provisions of article one hundred thirty  of  the  penal
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23  law.
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24    5.  As  used  in this section, "termination" means, but is not limited
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25  to, dismissal, acquittal, imposition of sentence  or  some  other  final
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     EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
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                          [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                               LBD01407-01-7
    A. 4584                             2
 1  disposition  in a criminal court of the last accusatory instrument filed
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 2  in a criminal action or a  decision  by  the  prosecutor,  for  whatever
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 3  reason, not to proceed with a prosecution.
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 4      2.  This  act  shall  take effect immediately and apply to criminal
 5  actions commenced on or after such date.