Bill Named After Slain Utica Teen Awaits Governor's Signature

A bill named after a Utica teen who was senselessly and sadly murdered three years ago this month has now passed the New York State Senate and only awaits Governor Hochul's signature before becoming law.

Bianca Devins was only 17 when she was killed on Boilermaker Sunday in 2019 by a 23-year-old Cicero man in an area not far from the race course. Her killer, Brandon Clark, shared graphic images of her body on social and the images then spread from there.

Bianca's Law creates the offense of unlawful dissemination of a personal image and amends civil rights law creating a private right of action of such offenses, the bill reads.

Bianca Devins - Photographer: Mae Scialdone at MAZE Studios

It looks to penalize those who publish, share, or disseminate the personal image of a crime victim in a degrading or abusive way.

Introduced by Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon in January of 2021, it has since undergone some amendments. The Assembly passed a version of Bianca's Law in June of last year but it was not acted on in the Senate.

"Bianca and her family deserve peace, and this legislation would ensure that those who share images online to degrade or humiliate others will be held accountable for their actions," Buttenschon said after the legislation passed the Assembly in January.

This year, the Assembly again passed a version of the bill (A01121C) in January. After further amendments, the bill was sent back tot he Assembly were it passed unanimously last week and was approved in the Senate on Wednesday, WKTV.com reported.

As passed in the past week, the legislation's name has also been amended to be called Bianca and Caroline's Law.

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Source: Bianca’s Law Awaits Governor’s Signature, May Become NY Law Soon

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