For over a century, cheating on one’s spouse has been deemed illegal in New York. However, a bill progressing through the New York Legislature could soon legalize adultery in the Empire State, effectively repealing a seldom-enforced law that carries a maximum penalty of three months in jail.
While adultery bans remain in place in several states across the U.S., charges are infrequent and convictions even rarer.
Historically, these laws were implemented to discourage divorces, as infidelity was often the only grounds for obtaining a legal separation.
New York’s bill to abolish its adultery ban has already cleared the Assembly and is poised to pass the Senate soon, after which it will head to the governor’s desk for approval.
