Check out our February roundup of CAG in the news!

Our CREEP Act was officially introduced in late January, and we had some great NY media coverage in February!

Democratic lawmakers want ‘CREEP Act’ to modernize stalking protections

Times Union, February 13, 2025
By Lucy Hodgman, Staff Writer 

Our Legislative Analyst Jian Hong Shi and Chief of Staff Norma Buster spoke with Times Union about The CREEP Act! In late January, we announced our renewed support for the New York State bill S3394/A3226, the Ceasing Repeated and Extremely Egregious Predatory (CREEP) Behavior Act. CREEP extends protections to ALL New Yorkers being stalked. 

This article highlights how stronger protections are needed for all victims of stalking. It also emphasizes how between texting and social media, today’s technology makes everyone vulnerable to stalking. 

Right now, New York State is a national leader in having the WORST protections for stalking victims. If you’re being stalked in NYS, the only way you can get a Civil Order of Protection is if you are related to or in an “intimate relationship” with your stalker. The CREEP Act would grant this civil protection to victims, regardless of how, why, and by who they are being stalked. 

“You don’t realize it can happen until it does happen to you, and then you’re very aware as to how connected you are, how vulnerable you are and how limited your options are for any type of protection…You shouldn’t have to go through a six or eight or 12 month legal process just to get a piece of paper to give you some measure of protection. That’s a 19th century way of thinking.” – State Sen. Andrew Gounardes  

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CREEP Act’: How will this New York pol’s bill protect you from stalking?

amNY, February 16, 2025 
By Barbara Russo-Lennon 

In this coverage of the CREEP Act, our Legislative Analyst Jian Hong Shi spoke with amNY about the need for better protections for stalking victims in New York. Jian Hong notes that our firm has helped dozens of clients who are excluded from stalking protections. Bill co-sponsors State Sen. Andrew Gounardes and NYS Assembly Member Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas are both quoted in the article, emphasizing the need for New York State to modernize laws to better protect its residents.

“Presently, a stalking victim in New York has no recourse to get a civil order of protection unless they are in an ‘intimate relationship’ or related to their stalker. This means a vast number of stalking victims such as students stalked by classmates, therapists stalked by patients, employees stalked by co-workers, celebrities stalked by fans, ex-roommates, are excluded from the law.” – Jian Hong Shi, Legislative Analyst, C.A. Goldberg