Hudson Valley Celebrities Push to Pass the ‘CREEP’ Law in NY

Two celebrities who live in the Hudson Valley are urging New York lawmakers to pass a major piece of legislation.

Woodstock filmmaker Jim Jarmusch and Ulster County resident Amanda Seyfried are among the public figures who signed a letter calling on the New York State Assembly to approve the “CREEP Act”.

Pair Of Hudson Valley Celebrities Sign Letter

For Hudson Valley residents, two of the names on the letter stand out.

Jarmusch has long-time ties to Woodstock and the Ulster County arts scene through his decades-long filmmaking career.

Seyfried, known for movies like Mean Girls, Mamma Mia! and Les Misérables, has also become well known in the Hudson Valley, becoming an active member of the Rhinebeck community and frequently speaking about her love of living in the Hudson Valley.

Other celebrities signing the letter include Gloria Steinem, Anderson Paak, Margaret Cho, Joey Bada$$, Q-Tip and Wu-Tang Clan member GZA.

What is the CREEP Act?

The legislation’s full name is the “Ceasing Repeated and Extremely Egregious Predatory Behavior Act.” If it becomes law, proponents say it will expand protections for stalking victims.

Under current law, many victims can only seek a civil order of protection if the person stalking them is a spouse, former partner, family member or someone they had an intimate relationship with.

That leaves many victims without legal options if the harassment comes from a stranger, coworker, online abuser or even an obsessive fan. The proposed law would expand who can seek protection through civil court.

Advocates behind the bill say that’s especially important because stalking has increasingly become technology-driven. The letter sent to Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie points to cyberstalking, GPS tracking, doxxing, deepfakes, nonconsensual imagery and social media harassment as growing threats.

The letter says, in part, “Tech has allowed the dangers of stalking to creep beyond our doors and into our homes, jeopardizing our safe spaces. Our laws must keep up.”

New York Has Fallen Behind in Protecting Victims

Supporters of the legislation say New York is now one of only seven states that still restrict civil orders of protection mostly to domestic or family-related situations.

They also note that all five states bordering New York already offer broader protections for stalking victims. Carrie Goldberg, founder of victims’ rights law firm C.A. Goldberg, PLLC, says the bill would give victims a way to seek protection before situations escalate further.

The legislation was introduced by State Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas and is currently awaiting action in the Assembly.