
ALBANY, NY –
NY Governor Kathy Hochul on November 25 signed legislation expanding protections in domestic violence cases in criminal and family court. This legislation recognizes that domestic violence does not just impact a person who is or was in an intimate relationship with an abuser — it impacts their family and household members as well. Under this legislation, all family and household members will be afforded the same process in court, including the ability to obtain an order of protection. Previous laws only allowed unrelated children under the age of 18 to be included on the adult family member’s order of protection. Additionally, this legislation signed on the very International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, will allow these family and household members to file family offense petitions in Family Court.
“Melanie Chianese should be standing with us today, along with countless New Yorkers lost at the hands of senseless and preventable acts of domestic violence,” Governor Hochul said.“By signing Melanie’s law, we are committing New York State, our law enforcement and our legal system to the fundamental principle that every person deserves to be protected.”
Melanie’s Law is named after Melanie Chianese, who was tragically killed by her mother’s ex-boyfriend while he was awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to a domestic violence felony. Melanie’s mother, Cheryl Chianese-Cavalli, was able to get orders of protection for herself and Melanie’s four-year-old son, but Melanie was ineligible because she was 29. Governor Hochul was joined at the signing by Melanie’s mother. Melanie’s Law recognizes the importance of protecting those close to a victim, as in many cases, those who harm will use any method to establish power and control over their partner, including hurting those who matter most to them.
Domestic violence has been on the rise in New York, with the number of “intimate partner homicides” reported in New York City alone increasing by 29.2% between 2022 and 2023, according to victim advocacy groups.
The signing comes one month after more than 250 professionals from across the state arrived in Albany to attend “Learning the Signs: Assessing the Risk of Lethality in Domestic Violence Cases” — the state’s first-ever summit of its kind — hosted by the state Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV) and the State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). The two-day training provided law enforcement agencies, attorneys, social services staff, gender-based violence services providers and other professionals with the necessary training and tools to assess danger in domestic violence cases and respond in a survivor-centered, trauma-informed and culturally responsive manner.
Earlier in October, Governor Hochul announced a record-level, $35 million state investment to improve the public safety response to intimate partner abuse and domestic violence and better address the needs of victims and survivors.