Senate bill · S10332 (2025-26)
Establishes the coercive abuse and neurological harm study commission
New York State Senate
Sponsor: Stephen T. Chan (State Senator, District 17, Republican/Conservative)
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From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Oct 21, 2026. About our data
Summary
Establishes an eight member temporary state commission called the "coercive abuse and neurological harm study commission"; directs the commission to review current scientific research regarding the neurological and psychological effects of prolonged emotional, psychological, and coercive abuse; examine existing New York state criminal, family, and civil statutes related to domestic violence and abuse; assess the feasibility of recognizing coercive psychological abuse resulting in demonstrable neurological or physical harm as an aggravating factor in existing offenses; evaluate evidentiary standards necessary to establish causation between abusive conduct and neurological injury; consider the potential legal, ethical, and constitutional implications of expanding statutory definitions of abuse; and recommend whether new statutory categories, sentencing enhancements, or civil remedies are appropriate.
Summary from NY Open Legislation. How we handle summaries
Purpose, from the sponsor's memo
This bill establishes a temporary New York State commission to study the effects of prolonged psychological, emotional, coercive, and financial abuse that may result in measurable neurological or physical harm, including trauma-related brain injury. The commission will evaluate whether current New York State laws adequately address these forms of abuse and whether legislative reforms are needed.
Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)
Where it stands
Assigned to a committee for review.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Up for a vote
- Passed one chamber
- Passed
- Enacted
Committee
Finance · New York State Senate
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The sponsor's argument
Why Stephen T. Chan says this is needed
New York State law recognizes domestic violence primarily through phys- ical assault, harassment, stalking, menacing, and related offenses, However, emerging scientific research increasingly demonstrates that prolonged coercive psychological abuse and chronic trauma may contribute to measurable neurological and cognitive harm. Survivors of long-term coercive abuse frequently report symptoms associ- ated with trauma-related neurological impairment, including memory disruption, chronic stress dysregulation, anxiety disorders, PTSD, and cognitive dysfunction. At present, New York law does not specifically examine whether existing legal frameworks sufficiently address abuse patterns that result in documented neurological injury absent direct physical assault. This legislation does not create a new criminal offense. Rather, it authorizes a multidisciplinary review to determine whether statutory gaps exist and whether future reforms are appropriate, medically supportable, constitutionally sound, and evidentially workable.
This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.
Full history
- May 14, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO FINANCE
NY Senate
Read the record
- Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab) The official record on nysenate.gov.