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Legislation Regarding Women

Recent Victories!

  • A00021 / S00240 Enacts the reproductive health act
  • A05308-B / S06549 Prohibits employers from seeking salary history from applicants
  • A07748-A / S06436 Relates to equal pay for similar work protections for protected classes
  • A08093-A / S05248 Relates to prohibiting certain wage differentials
  • A01047 / S00456A Relates to fair, non-biased compensation

Women's Health

  • A00021 Enacts the reproductive health act; repealer
  • A00118 Relates to women's health in correctional facilities
  • A00305 Enacts the "total access to menstrual products (TAMP) act"
  • A00318 Relates to informing maternity patients about the risks associated with cesarean section
  • A01189 Provides for the licensure of lactation consultants and the establishment of a lactation consultant licensing board
  • A01485 Authorizes healthcare providers and insurers pregnancy programs to provide information on the adverse effects of tobacco smoking during pregnancy
  • A02345 Relates to lactation counseling services. Authorizes lactation consoling services without a referral from a physician, registered physician assistant, registered nurse practitioner, or licensed midwife
  • A02871 Mandates certain testing in connection with pregnancy and fertility treatment; and requires insurance policies to provide coverage for certain testing in connection with fertility treatment
  • A02346 Requires insurance coverage for the HALO breast pap test to detect risk of developing breast cancer
  • A02770 Enacts the Jonah Bichotte Cowan law relating to pre-term labor care; provides additional insurance coverage for pre-term labor hospitalizations, monitoring and counseling
  • A03016 Relates to maternal depression screenings
  • A08212 Authorizes the Commissioner of Health to conduct a study and issue a report examining the unmet health and resource needs facing pregnant women in New York and the impact of limited service pregnancy centers
  • A03276 Relates to establishing maternal mortality review boards and the maternal mortality and morbidity advisory council
  • A03684 Requires certain health insurance policies to provide coverage for diagnostic testing for ovarian cancer
  • A03942 Relates to prenatal trisomy diagnosis awareness
  • A05304 Relates to special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children
  • A04372 Directs the consumer protection division to conduct a study on limited service pregnancy center entities
  • A05717 Grants temporary parking permits for handicapped parking spaces to pregnant women
  • A00568 Provides a premium reduction for physicians and licensed midwives who complete a risk management strategies course
  • A00686 Relates to providing feminine hygiene products at no cost to menstruating individuals receiving temporary housing assistance
  • A02808 Provides for dispensing emergency contraception under certain conditions
  • A02352 Requires disclosure by crisis pregnancy centers
  • A02807 Requires provision be made for pregnancy termination procedures coverage in every hospital, surgical or medical policy offering maternity care coverage
  • S00240 Enacts the reproductive health act; repealer
  • S00526 Requires certain health insurance policies to provide coverage for diagnostic testing for ovarian cancer
  • S00663 Relates to prenatal trisomy diagnosis awareness
  • S02387 Relates to menstrual product labeling
  • S02888 Relates to informing maternity patients about the risks associated with cesarean section
  • S03125 Requires feminine hygiene products to be offered for free in charter schools
  • S03126 Relates to women's health in correctional facilities
  • S03158 Provides a premium reduction for physicians and licensed midwives who complete a risk management strategies course
  • S03387 Relates to lactation counseling services
  • S03543 Relates to the definition of over the counter contraceptive products and voluntary sterilization procedures
  • S03798 Establishes an age-appropriate sex education grant program, to be referred to as the healthy teens act
  • S04211 Amends the definition of pregnancy-related condition to include lactation as a possible way of determining if an individual possesses such condition 
  • S04637 Requires information on possible complications from pregnancy that can lead to death
  • S04959 Provides standards for the number of water closets (bathrooms) in certain areas of public assembly and increases the required number of water closets for women
  • S06311 Authorizes the Commissioner of Health to conduct a study and issue a report examining the unmet health and resource needs facing pregnant women in New York and the impact of limited service pregnancy centers
  • S04813 Requires hospitals which offer medical residency training to provide certain obstetric-gynecology training
  • S05089 Enacts the "public university emergency contraception education act"
  • S04703 Directs the commissioner of health to establish a method by which alternative identification can be presented at a point of sale when a recipient of WIC's does not have his or her WIC's identification

Women's Rights & History:

  • A00271 Relates to equal rights for women (NYS Constitutional Amendment)
  • A00376 Relates to the state employees equal opportunity act
  • A02748 Relates to bail of pregnant women
  • A06818 Relates to establishing the pilot project for the placement of female inmates close to home
  • A00747 Prohibits discrimination based on gender identity or expression and includes offenses regarding gender identity or expression under the hate crimes statute
  • A01890 Relates to the prevention of discrimination
  • A00272 Relates to equality of rights and protection against discrimination
  • S03249 Relates to equal rights for women (NYS Constitutional Amendment)   
  • S04072 Relates to bail of pregnant women
  • S04136 Relates to establishing September fourth as "Mother Teresa Remembrance Day"
  • S04616 Establishes the NYS Triangle Shirtwaist Fire 108th anniversary commemoration commission
  • S04997 Relates to establishing the Women's rights history trail
  • S00517 Relates to equality of rights and protection against discrimination

Violence Against Women:

  • A00057 Requires domestic violence and sexual assault awareness education for persons engaged in the practice of nail specialty, waxing, natural hair styling, esthetics and cosmetology
  • A00219 Relates to mailing special ballots to victims of domestic violence
  • A00355 Relates to the creation of a school-based teen dating violence prevention program
  • A00409 Relates to duration of orders of protection in cases involving domestic violence
  • A00816 Directs social services districts to contract with non-residential programs for victims of domestic violence to provide outreach and education in high schools
  • A01015 Relates to the entitlement to unpaid leave of absence for victims of domestic violence
  • A01161 Prohibits certain discriminatory practices against victims of domestic violence
  • A01238 Relates to the termination of leases when a domestic violence victim obtains an order of protection or signed affidavit
  • A01620 Relates to home stability support supplement programs
  • A01738 Relates to establishing a database of denied firearms applications, establishing a victim notification system and exemptions to the freedom of information law
  • A01767 Increases the personal needs allowance of individuals in nursing homes and individuals in residential programs for victims of domestic violence
  • A01892 Creates a provision requiring court review of domestic violence bail applications
  • A01967 Includes acts of domestic violence in the criteria the court shall consider in determining the equitable disposition of property during divorce proceedings
  • A02063 Relates to assisting and protecting victims of domestic violence, child abuse and child neglect
  • A02388 Requires dating violence education and dating violence policies in school districts, boards of cooperative educational services and county vocational education and extension boards
  • A02523 Relates to the report of programs available to survivors of domestic violence
  • A02803 Requires medical assistance to be provided to victims of domestic violence to care for and treat any scarring resulting from the domestic violence incident
  • A02832 Requires health insurers to provide victims of domestic violence with the option of providing alternative contact information
  • A02850 Requires general hospitals to establish policies/procedures regarding domestic violence; to establish training programs; to designate staff to coordinate services
  • A02940 Requires the commissioner to establish domestic violence awareness curriculum or instruction to be available in school districts; age appropriate
  • A03419 Authorizes a victim of domestic violence to apply to remove the violent felony offender from deed of co-owned real property
  • A03639 Requires reporting of employees of colleges and universities found responsible for sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, or sexual harassment
  • A03974 Relates to sentencing and resentencing in domestic violence cases
  • A04267 Relates to the termination of a residential lease by a victim of domestic violence; repealer
  • A04293 Authorizes a court to direct filing of non-family offense order of protection with the computerized registry for such orders and warrants
  • A04467 Relates to the reporting of domestic violence incidents
  • A04842 Relates to treatment of domestic violence victims and documentation of injury and evidence
  • A04929 Establishes domestic abuse offenses, provides for special information for certain felony domestic abuse offenses and designates such offenses as family offenses
  • A05255 Establishes enhanced penalties for coercive threats to expose immigration status of witnesses and domestic violence victims
  • A05318 Requires companies to allow victims of domestic violence to cancel contracts when there is a domestic violence incident report, a police report, an order of protection or a signed affidavit
  • A05487 Prohibits the disclosure of immigration status for victims of domestic violence
  • A05538 Creates a private right of action for landlords and employers who suffer actual losses as a result of domestic violence
  • A05608 Expands the crimes included in domestic violence to include identity theft, grand larceny and coercion, for purposes of assistance to victims thereof
  • A05618 Relates to domestic violence; repealer
  • A05652 Relates to mandatory reporting of incidents of domestic violence
  • A05674 Relates to allowing for three forty-five day extensions of necessary and available emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence
  • A05751 Relates to acts of domestic violence committed in the presence of children
  • A05798 Relates to enhanced penalties for domestic violence crimes
  • A05889 Enacts "The Domestic Violence Protection Act - Brittany's Law" requiring registration of violent felony offenders
  • A06126 Relates to residential services for pregnant victims of domestic violence
  • A06226 Requires information on violence against women including domestic violence and human trafficking to be provided to foreign, prospective wives coming to this country
  • A06732 Establishes "Brittany's law"
  • A06827 Establishes the "domestic violence registration act"
  • A06841 Relates to forfeiture of a beneficiary's right to benefits upon conviction of domestic violence offense
  • A07029 Authorizes use of closed-circuit television for the testimony of domestic violence victim witnesses in a criminal proceeding
  • A07034 Relates to the protection of victims of domestic violence act
  • A07239 Relates to factoring domestic violence convictions into certain family court decisions
  • A07395 Relates to notification of rights of victims of domestic violence in criminal and family court proceedings
  • A07400 Relates to requiring care providers to provide information in cases of suspected domestic violence
  • A07748 Relates to equal pay for similar work protections for protected classes
  • A07984 Enacts the domestic violence escalation prevention act; repealer
  • A08000 Relates to reimbursements for domestic violence services
  • A08023 Relates to domestic violence-related activity of the New York state office for the prevention of domestic violence; repealer
  • A03192 Promotes the education of the human trafficking information and referral hotline to assist persons in freeing themselves from severe acts of sex trafficking
  • A06799 Establishes the crime of assault on a pregnant woman
  • S00067 Requires health insurers to provide victims of domestic violence with the option of providing alternative contact information
  • S00069 Provides that persons arrested for domestic violence forfeit bail when violating an order of protection
  • S00074 Prohibits the court from granting custody of or unsupervised visitation with a child to a person who has been convicted of or charged with raping the parent of the child
  • S00075 Relates to enhancing penalties and protecting victims of crimes of domestic violence
  • S00096 Relates to offering domestic violence and sexual assault awareness education to persons engaged in the practice of nail specialty, waxing, natural hair styling, esthetics or cosmetology
  • S00172 Relates to the offense of assault in the second degree and employees of domestic violence shelters and persons seeking shelter in such shelters
  • S00827 Establishes the crime of criminal possession of a weapon by a domestic violence offender in the first and second degrees
  • S00849 Authorizes use of closed-circuit television for the testimony of domestic violence victim witnesses in a criminal proceeding
  • S00963 Enacts "The Domestic Violence Protection Act - Brittany's Law" requiring registration of violent felony offenders
  • S00998 Authorizes use of closed-circuit television for the testimony of domestic violence victim witnesses in a criminal proceeding
  • S01040 Relates to domestic violence; repealer
  • S01050 Requires medical assistance to be provided to victims of domestic violence to care for and treat any scarring resulting from the domestic violence incident
  • S01077 Relates to sentencing and resentencing in domestic violence cases
  • S01243 Relates to the reporting of domestic violence incidents
  • S01270 Relates to requiring a denial of certain felony domestic violence or stalking bail applications
  • S01290 Relates to the report of programs available to survivors of domestic violence
  • S01351 Relates to treatment of domestic violence victims and documentation of injury and evidence
  • S01568 Relates to preventing housing discrimination against victims of domestic violence; repealer
  • S02162 Relates to establishing uniform waiting list priorities for domestic violence survivors applying for public housing
  • S02224 Establishes that domestic violence advocates may not disclose any communication made by a client to the advocate except in certain circumstances
  • S02356 Requires companies to allow victims of domestic violence to cancel contracts when there is a domestic violence incident report, a police report, an order of protection or a signed affidavit
  • S02416 Establishes a time period in which an action to recover damages for injury arising from domestic violence must be brought
  • S02568 Authorizes a court to direct filing of non-family offense order of protection with the computerized registry for such orders and warrants
  • S02621 Relates to teen dating violence education programs
  • S02625 Expands the crimes included in domestic violence to include identity theft, grand larceny and coercion, for purposes of assistance to victims thereof
  • S02678 Requires wireless telephone companies that offer shared or family plans to allow victims of domestic violence to be released from the account without penalty in instances of domestic violence
  • S02921 Creates a provision requiring court review of domestic violence bail applications
  • S02925 Prohibits disclosure of immigration status for victims of domestic violence; adds enhanced penalties for coercive threats to expose immigration status of victims
  • S03232 Relates to mailing special ballots to victims of domestic violence
  • S03381 Relates to the entitlement to unpaid leave of absence for victims of domestic violence
  • S03454 Relates to the creation of a school-based teen dating violence prevention program
  • S03459 Requires reporting of employees of colleges and universities found responsible for sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, or sexual harassment
  • S03857 Establishes domestic abuse offenses, provides for special information for certain felony domestic abuse offenses and designates such offenses as family offenses
  • S03869 Relates to factoring domestic violence convictions into certain family court decisions
  • S03955 Establishes the domestic violence accountability program
  • S03962 Requires general hospitals to establish policies/procedures regarding domestic violence; to establish training programs; to designate staff to coordinate services
  • S04062 Relates to forfeiture of a beneficiary's right to benefits upon conviction of domestic violence offense
  • S04068 Grants domestic violence victims the same preference as granted to any other class of applicants
  • S04258 Establishes an independent fatality review board to investigate deaths appearing to be from unnatural causes, where domestic violence is apparent
  • S04434 Establishes the temporary state commission on intimate partner violence, within office for the prevention of domestic violence to study, report on and make recommendations on such violence
  • S04281 Relates to the termination of a residential lease by a victim of domestic violence; repealer
  • S04644 Enacts "The Domestic Violence Protection Act - Brittany's Law" requiring registration of violent felony offenders
  • S04784 Relates to the protection of victims of domestic violence act
  • S04850 Relates to the entitlement to unpaid leave of absence for victims of domestic violence
  • S04924 Provides domestic violence victims and crime victims with supervision while taking depositions
  • S05086 Authorizes a victim of domestic violence to apply to remove the violent felony offender from deed of co-owned real property
  • S05090 Relates to providing four weeks of leave for victims of abuse
  • S05322 Requires the release of individuals from utility corporation services in instances of domestic violence
  • S05628 Relates to requiring care providers to provide information in cases of suspected domestic violence
  • S06044 Prohibits the disclosure of immigration status for victims of domestic violence
  • S06050 Includes acts of domestic violence in the criteria the court shall consider in determining the equitable disposition of property during divorce proceedings
  • S06307 Requires domestic violence and sexual assault awareness education for persons engaged in the practice of nail specialty, waxing, natural hair styling, esthetics and cosmetology
  • S02408 Establishes the crime of assault on a pregnant individual
  • S06311 Authorizes the Commissioner of Health to conduct a study and issue a report examining the unmet health and resource needs facing pregnant women in New York and the impact of limited service pregnancy centers
  • S04712 Establishes the crime of assault on a pregnant individual
  • S04740 Establishes the crime of assault on a pregnant woman

Public & Private Sector:

  • A08093 Relates to prohibiting certain wage differentials
  • A00587 Relates to gender balance on boards of state and local public authorities
  • A00627 Relates to establishing a gender balance in the port authority
  • A00731 Relates to the disclosure and consideration of gender wage disparity in the awarding of state contracts
  • A00760 Provides science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) grants for the encouragement of women and minorities to pursue careers in technology
  • A00910 Relates to requiring that bidders and all others seeking state contracts disclose their percentage and number of female executives and board members
  • A01295 Creates the women and high-wage, high-demand, nontraditional jobs grant program; appropriation
  • A01305 Relates to issuing a certificate of compliance to any employer who achieves a gender pay gap of 10% or less
  • A01432 Allows municipal commissions to use alternate lists for filling vacancies with resident and non-resident minority group members and women in order to achieve diversity in police departments
  • A01440 Authorizes the New York city school construction authority to award certain contracts for goods or services to minority- or women-owned businesses without a competitive bidding process
  • A01449 Relates to opportunities for minority and women-owned business enterprises in N.Y. city
  • A01450 Authorizes the division of minority and women's business development to accept the DD Form 214 issued by the U.S. department of defense as proof of an applicant's race or ethnicity
  • A01480 Requires the statewide MWBE certification process to be expedited by completing certification within thirty days and directs the outsourcing of certain certification functions
  • A01491 Requires utilization of minority and women-owned business enterprises as subcontractors as a condition when awarding sole source procurement contracts; relates to the issuance of waivers
  • A01507 Authorizes the empire state development corporation to retain one or more independent MWBE consultant firms to conduct an independent review of procurement procedures utilized by state agencies
  • A01520 Prohibits the New York state environmental facilities corporation from entering into contracts, leases or other agreements with entities that are not compliant with the MWBE requirements
  • A01530 Directs the empire state development corporation to conduct a study on the feasibility of a minority and women-owned business capacity enterprise mentorship program
  • A01537 Relates to the requirements of the annual report from the division of minority and women's business development
  • A01653 Relates to establishing distinctive "Women Veterans" license plates and the women veterans support fund
  • A01975 Relates to increased participation in state contracts and subcontracts by certified minority and women owned business enterprises
  • A02407 Requires that certain contracts let by the office of general services be reserved for small businesses, including minority-owned business enterprises and women-owned businesses enterprises
  • A02430 Relates to assisting contractors to identify minority group members and women for hiring opportunities
  • A02511 Requires the state comptroller to prepare and release an annual report grading each state agency on its spending with minority and women-owned business
  • A04118 Statewide disparity study regarding the participation of minority and women-owned business enterprises in state contracts
  • A04560 Establishes a joint venture program for minority and women-owned business enterprises
  • A04685 Relates to requiring agencies to provide unsuccessful bidders that are certified minority and women-owned business enterprises with a written statement articulating the reasons for rejection
  • A04914 Creates minority and women-owned business enterprise regional advocates
  • A04921 Requires the commissioner of economic development to publicize certain information related to programs for small business enterprises and minority and women-owned business enterprises
  • A05139 Encourages the participation of minority and women-owned business enterprises in state contracts
  • A05171 Directs contracting state agencies to develop a growth plan in order to increase participation of MWBEs with respect to state contracts and subcontracts
  • A06004 Directs the NYS energy research and development authority to grant minority, women, veteran and disabled owned businesses enhanced priority as certified installers under the sun solar electric incentive
  • A06223 Relates to criteria for certification by the division of minority and women's business development of MWBE status; repealer
  • A06329 Requires at least one female director on every domestic corporation and foreign corporation whose principal place of business is located in New York state
  • A06330 Enacts the "women on corporate boards study"
  • A07125 Directs the department of civil service to study and publish a report evaluating public employers' wage disparities
  • A01537 Relates to the requirements of the annual report from the division of minority and women's business development
  • A01047 Relates to fair, non-biased compensation
  • A01221 Relates to creating a company climate report system to assess the workplace environment of companies doing business in New York
  • A07083 Relates to increased protections for protected classes and special protections for employees who have been sexually harassed
  • S00051 Prohibits employers from seeking salary history from prospective employees
  • S00324 Relates to minority and women-owned business enterprises in relation to state contracts
  • S00766 Relates to increased participation in state contracts and subcontracts by certified minority and women owned business enterprises
  • S00845 Establishes business franchise and personal income tax credits for a portion of the consideration paid under a contract with a minority or women-owned business
  • S00958 Directs the director of the division of minority and women's business development to provide for the minority and women-owned business certification of business entities owned by Indian nations or tribes
  • S01136 Prohibits employers from seeking salary history from prospective employees
  • S01454 Enacts the New York state fair pay act
  • S01468 Provides for the awarding of state contracts for professional services under the minority and women-owned business enterprise program
  • S01584 Relates to opportunities for minority and women owned business enterprises and emerging business enterprises
  • S01648 Allows municipal commissions to use alternate lists for filling vacancies with resident and non-resident minority group members and women in order to achieve diversity in police departments
  • S02195 Creates minority and women-owned business enterprise regional advocates
  • S02216 Directs contracting state agencies to develop a growth plan in order to increase participation of MWBEs with respect to state contracts and subcontracts
  • S02213 Relates to the requirements of the annual report from the division of minority and women's business development
  • S02217 Relates to minority and women-owned business enterprises post completion certification, duties of the director and creating the minority and women-owned business enterprise fund
  • S02414 Directs the empire state development corporation to conduct a study on the feasibility of a minority and women-owned business capacity enterprise mentorship program
  • S02594 Relates to establishing a gender balance in the port authority
  • S02595 Relates to gender balance in public authorities, industrial development agencies and local development corporations
  • S02843 Relates to the requirements of the annual report from the division of minority and women's business development
  • S03031 Relates to establishing a study regarding homeless women who are veterans in the state of New York
  • S03033 Relates to the New York state infrastructure trust fund, establishes a blue ribbon commission to study the minority and women-owned business enterprise program, and establishes a mentor-protege training program
  • S03144 Relates to creating the women veterans advisory committee
  • S03214 Relates to outreach programming for minority and women-owned business enterprises; appropriation
  • S04011 Relates to the number of female directors required to serve on the board of directors of certain publicly traded corporations
  • S04258 Establishes an independent fatality review board to investigate deaths appearing to be from unnatural causes, where domestic violence is apparent
  • S04278 Enacts the "women on corporate boards study"
  • S04279 Requires at least one female director on every domestic corporation and foreign corporation whose principal place of business is located in New York state
  • S04412 Relates to equal pay reporting by certain contractors
  • S04429 Requires the commissioner of economic development to publicize certain information related to programs for small business enterprises and minority and women-owned business enterprises
  • S04603 Relates to establishing distinctive "Women Veterans" license plates and the women veterans support fund
  • S04896 Requires database and reporting for contracts with minority and women-owned businesses
  • S04991 Directs the director of the division of minority and women's business development to provide for the minority and women-owned business certification of business entities owned by Indian nations or tribes
  • S05063 Relates to equal employment opportunity and affirmative action for classified civil service positions in the service of the state
  • S05064 Prohibits the New York state environmental facilities corporation from entering into contracts, leases or other agreements with entities that are not compliant with the MWBE requirements
  • S05069 Directs the department of civil service to study and publish a report evaluating public employers' wage disparities
  • S05338 Relates to notice to unsuccessful minority- or women-owned business enterprise bidders on state contracts
  • S05490 Relates to comprehensive diversity in procurement and employment act of 2019
  • S05991 Relates to the women veterans coordinator
  • S06046 Relates to the minority and women-owned business enterprise program and extends authorization for the minority and women-owned business enterprise program
  • S06141 Reauthorizes the minority and women-owned business enterprise program, creates the minority and women-owned business enterprise fund, and establishes the workforce diversity program
  • S06373 Relates to assisting contractors to identify minority group members and women for hiring opportunities
  • S06418 Relates to opportunities for small businesses and businesses owned by women and minorities and emerging business enterprises
  • S03817 Relates to increased protections for protected classes and special protections for employees who have been sexually harassed

 

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Federal Legislation:

ERA:

The Equal Rights Amendments (ERA) is a proposed amendment to the US Constitution that would guarantee all Americans enjoy equal legal rights regardless of sex. Alice Paul and the National Women’s Political Party first introduced the ERA in 1923.  After about fifty years, Congress passed the ERA in 1972 and set a deadline for states to ratify the amendment in 1982. Sadly, only 35 of the 38 states needed to approve the amendment had done so when the deadline expired. Still, Illinois and Nevada ratified the ERA after 1982. If Congress were to extend the deadline and another state passed it, the ERA would become the 28th amendment to the US Constitution.

ERA Map

For more information about federal legislation, check out these links:

Women's Rights

Abortion

Sex, gender, and sexual orientation discrimination

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