Advocates rally outside Assembly member's office to press for passage of A101 closing voluntary-intoxication loophole

Supporters of the A101 bill gathered outside Assembly Member Casey's office on East Dundee Road in Pelham Bay today, wearing black and urging state lawmakers to bring the measure to the Assembly floor.

The bill aims to close what supporters describe as a "voluntary intoxication exclusion," a legal gap they say can prevent assault survivors from obtaining justice if they were intoxicated. "Join us," the presenter at the rally said, addressing Speaker Carl E. Hastie and urging him to use his authority to put the bill on the floor.

Why it matters: Advocates say A101 would target people who deliberately take advantage of intoxicated individuals and would also protect people whose drinks were spiked with drugs that are difficult to detect. Supporters argued the change is necessary to reduce impunity and that similar survivor-centered laws have had a deterrent effect.

At the rally a witness described personal experience with blame and shame after being drugged. "Predators are literally drugging their victims, and they're getting away with it," the witness said, adding that survivors are often questioned rather than protected.

Opponents, the report said, contend the bill could criminalize people who are drunk. Supporters and the reporting noted that the bill, as described at the event, relies on proof that a person was incapacitated past the point of consenting rather than criminalizing intoxication alone.

BronxNet reached out to Speaker Carl E. Hastie's office for comment and had not heard back by the time of the report. The rally concluded with organizers calling for continued pressure on Assembly members to move the bill through committee and onto the floor.

In Pelham Bay, Satrice McQueen, BronxNet.