You won’t believe the latest news from New York! It turns out that cheating on your spouse is now completely legal thanks to Governor Kathy Hochul. Yes, you heard it right!
You know that old law, going back a whopping 117 years, that classified adultery as a misdemeanor? Well, Governor Hochul just swooped in and repealed it. No more worrying about getting caught red-handed and facing up to 90 days in jail for a little sneaky rendezvous.
Now, I’m not here to advocate for cheating or anything, but this news sets off some interesting conversations. People are already going wild with all kinds of opinions and debates. Some folks are cheering, thinking they hit the jackpot, while others are outraged, feeling like the sanctity of marriage has been thrown out the window.
Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill repealing an old law that treated infidelity as a class B misdemeanour, punishable by up to 90 days in jail. The decision, made on Friday, marks a historic move following decades of debate and overwhelming support in the state legislature.
The law, originally introduced to deter divorces, has now been abolished, marking a progressive approach in New York’s stance on personal freedoms. Governor Kathy Hochul, the state’s first happily married governor in nearly 20 years, as the Post describes, signed the bill to repeal the 1907 statute. Her three predecessors all faced extramarital scandals, with their marriages ultimately ending in divorce.
“While I’ve been fortunate to share a loving married life with my husband for 40 years — making it somewhat ironic for me to sign a bill decriminalising adultery — I know that people often have complex relationships,” she said in a statement. “These matters should clearly be handled by these individuals and not our criminal justice system. Let’s take this silly, outdated statute off the books, once and for all.”
Sixty years after the law first came into effect, a state commission suggested repealing it but failed to convince the legislature. As a result, the law remained in place for another six decades. In 2020, former Assemblyman Dan Quart introduced a repeal bill but left office for a judgeship before it could pass. This year, Assemblyman Charles Lavine took up the effort to see it through.
Of course, this change doesn’t mean cheating is suddenly celebrated or encouraged. It just means that legally speaking, you won’t end up behind bars for straying from your vows. So, if you’re thinking about embarking on an extramarital affair, maybe take a moment to consider the consequences beyond the legal aspect.
Who knows what kind of ripple effect this repealed law will have on relationships, trust, and the whole institution of marriage? It’s a hot topic on everyone’s lips, sparking debates at dinner tables and watering holes all over the state.
