ALBANY (AP) - It's now illegal to watch a dog fight in New York, even if you didn't get charged admission or place a bet.

That new law is among a couple of dozen Gov. David Paterson signed Tuesday.

Others include changes in the rules for teachers and other school employees convicted of sex crimes, for victims hurt by domestic violence and for bankers and insurers.

Another will make it easier for an abuse victim to seek an order of protection from a court even if the victim isn't related to the abuser in the "intimate relationship." This could provide the court protection - which can prohibit an abuser from contacting the victim under penalty of arrest - even if the victim isn't willing to press charges. The law also will make sure orders of protection are available to victims who are gay.

"We have the obligation to be constantly vigilant about amending our laws to protect the residents of New York state," Paterson said. "Many of these bills do just that by closing loopholes or creating new laws to enhance the quality of life for all New Yorkers."

"Finally, dating and same-sex couples will have access to this essential legal option," said Amy Barasch, executive director of the state's Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence. "After 20 years of tireless advocacy, all those who worked toward the passage of this bill have reason to be proud."

Paterson also signed a law that he said will lead to restrictions on video-game violence and help families better monitor grisly games. The law will create an advisory council to study the effects of violent games on children, and will require parental controls on game consoles by 2010 and prominent displays of age ratings on game packages.

Critics such as Americans for Tax Reform note that nearly a dozen other states enacted similar laws, only to see them struck down by courts as unconstitutional.

Other bills signed into law:

• Provide for automatic revocation of the certification of a teacher or other school employee if he or she is convicted of a sex crime involving a student. Until the law, a school district could spend as much as $150,000 per case, including some in which hearings had to be held in prison.

• Prohibit the withholding of food or water from residents in mental-health-care facilities.

• Change law terminology from "natural mother" to "birth mother" when referring to a child's biological mother.