Cheating No Longer a Crime in New York

New York has officially removed an old law that made cheating on your spouse a crime. Governor Kathy Hochul signed the bill to repeal this 1907 law, making adultery a misdemeanor. While charges weren't common and convictions even rarer, the law still existed. Governor Hochul found it ironic to sign this bill, given her happy 40-year marriage, but she believes these matters should be handled privately, not by the criminal justice system.

Adultery bans are still laws in some states, but many are rethinking this. New York's definition was clear: sexual intercourse with someone else when you're married. The punishment could have been up to three months in jail. State Assemblymember Charles Lavine, who pushed for the bill, said only a few people were charged under this law since the 1970s. The first use of this law was in 1907, when a married man and a 25-year-old woman were arrested. The law was last used in 2010, but the charge was later dropped. New York almost repealed this law in the 1960s, but lawmakers hesitated, fearing it might look like they were endorsing adultery.

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