It's illegal to cheat on your spouse in NY. Will Gov. Kathy Hochul change that?

WNYC News

Adultery is a misdemeanor in New York.

It's one of 17 states that still consider adultery a crime, at least on paper. It’s the second most populous state on the list, just behind Florida.

But the New York law is seldom enforced. Since 1979, only 10 people statewide have faced adultery as their highest-level charge in a given case, according to the state Division of Criminal Justice Services, which tracks crime data. The agency said the number does not include cases where a defendant is also facing charges for a more severe crime.

In the spring, the New York state legislature overwhelmingly passed a bill to repeal the state's adultery law. Now it's in a pile of more than 500 pieces of legislation on Kathy Hochul's desk.