Fighting Crime and Keeping Families Safe

As a member of the Assembly's Committee on Children and Families, Amy Paulin has been a leader in meeting the needs of New Yorkers who are raising children and taking care of families. She has a strong record of fighting crime and protecting victims, especially those affected by sexual assault and domestic violence - work she began as executive director of My Sisters' Place.

Named a leader in the fight against domestic violence by the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NYSCADV), Assemblywoman Paulin drafted and passed legislation to lengthen orders of protection to eight years to assist those victimized by felony domestic violence. In 2008, Amy authored the law which established a criminal penalty for those who prevent a person from calling 911 or seeking any other kind of emergency assistance. Additionally, Amy also sponsored the law which will allow couples in dating or intimate relationships, in addition to married couples, to seek civil orders of protection in the state family court system.

Amy authored the law that eliminated the statute of limitations on rape and other sexual assaults. With DNA evidence able to help prosecutors solve "stale" crimes, there is no reason to let criminals go free simply due to the passage of time.

Assemblywoman Paulin's dedication to protecting children from abusive care is evident in her recent legislation which will increase the number of children who will be treated for child abuse. Amy's legislation creates state-funded fellowships offering pediatricians training in identifying, treating and preventing child abuse and maltreatment. Amy also authored and passed legislation in both houses to improve the quality of care child abuse victims receive by requiring the Crime Victims Board to reimburse hospitals and child abuse advocacy centers for the costs of using child abuse pediatricians.

Amy Paulin knows the key to reducing crime is to take illegal weapons off the streets, which is why she authored the law that toughened penalties for the sale and possession of illegal firearms. Before, illegal dealers had exploited a loophole that forced police officers to go in multiple times to collect adequate evidence, thereby putting their lives at risk; the law passed unanimously after some officers actually lost their lives trying to apprehend illegal dealers. Amy also wrote bills to require background checks for private gun sales, gun shows and auctions.

To prevent tragedies similar to the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre, Amy voted for legislation which will bar individuals who have suffered or currently suffer from mental illness from possessing or purchasing firearms by intensifying firearm background checks and mandating greater information sharing between state agencies.