Advocacy

NEW Pride Agenda's 2021 Legislative + Policy Priorities

NEW Pride Agenda’s 2021 Legislative + Policy Priorities are rooted in our mission of advocating for LGBTQIA New Yorkers across the state, particurarly Black and Brown trans sisters and brothers. Among the many important lessons we’ve been reminded of this year is that Black and Brown queer communities have beem on the frontlines of movements for social change for decades. It is precisely because of this reality that the NEW Pride Agenda is pushing forward with a bold list of policy priorities that center these narratives and identities. NPA’s 2021 legislative agenda is also informed by our recent citywide LGBTQIA survey, conducted in partnership with Columbia University, which you can read more about here.

BUDGET PRIORITIES:

– In collaboration with network partners, advocate for and secure $5.4 million in LGBTQIA Health & Human Services funding

– Advance implementation of Dignity for All Students Act (DASA)

– Work with the Governor’s Hate Crimes Task Force to eradicate LGBTQIA-based violence, particurarly gender identtity and expression-based violence

COVID-19 PRIORITIES: 

– Supporting an eviction moratorium and rental assistance, along with other COVID-19 related bills, that would serve as a lifeline for Black and Brown queer communities

– Release and provide adequate healthcare and resources to Transgender, Non-conforming, Non-binary individuals in prison who are at risk of contracting COVID-19

HIV/AIDS: 

– Establishing an HIV rental assistance pilot

– Reversing the pharmacy carve out language included in the FY21 state budget

– Increasing access to PrEP and LGBTQIA affirming health care services, particularly for trans women of color and Black and Brown queer males

LEGISLATIVE + ADVOCACY PRIORITIES

– Repeal Walking While Trans statute

– Codify Gender Recgonition Act into law

– Codify Stop Violence Against Sex Trades Act into law

– Codify Sex Workers Protection Act into law

– Codify the Decriminalize Condoms Act into law

– Codify the Student Suicide Prevention Act into law

– Codify LGBTQIA History in School Curriculum Act into law

– Codify Comprehensive Sex Education Act into law

– Codify Hate Crimes Analysis and Review Act into law

– Codify LGBTQ-Long Term Care Facility Bill of Rights into law

THANK YOU Governor Cuomo for signing AM Danny O’Donnell’s single-occupancy bathroom bill into law, along with a bill that ensures the confidentiality of COVID-19 related contact-tracing!

Police Reform Policy Watchlist

 

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Repealing Section 50-A (A10611/S8496) PASSED

Makes complaints against officers, as well as transcripts and final dispositions of disciplinary proceedings available to the public. Passed the Legislature on 6/10/2020.

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State Troopers and Body Cameras (A8674A/S8493) PASSED

Requires state police wear body cameras.

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Duty to Provide Medical Attention (A8226B/S6601B) PASSED

Police officers and other law enforcement representatives or entities have a duty to provide attention to the medical and mental health needs of individuals who are under arrest or otherwise in their custody. 

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Reporting Discharged Weapons (A10608/S2575B) PASSED

Requires a law enforcement officer or peace officer who discharges his or her weapon under circumstances where a person could be struck by a bullet to immediately report the incident to his or her superiors.

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Office of Special Investigation (A1601C/S2574C) PASSED

Creates an office of special investigations within the Attorney General’s Office.

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Law Enforcement Misconduct Office (A10002B/S3595C) PASSED

Establishes the Law Enforcement Misconduct Investigative Office within the Attorney General’s Office.

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Eric Garner Anti-Chokehold Act (A6144B/S6670B) PASSED

Establishes the crime of aggravated strangulation for police officers who use chokeholds or similar restraint that cause serious physical injury or death. 

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Right to Monitor Act (A1360A/S3253A) PASSED

Affirms that a person not under arrest or in custody has the right to record policy activity and to maintain custody and control of that recording and of any property or instruments used to record police activities.

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Penalty for Biased Misuse of Emergency Services (A1531B/S8492) PASSED

Amends civil rights law to makes it a hate crime when people calling 911 make a false accusation based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious practice, age, disability, or sexual orientation. Senate and Assembly passed different versions of this bill.

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STAT Act (A10609/S1830C) PASSED

Enacts the Police Statistics and Transparency (STAT) Act which requires courts to compile and publish racial and other demographic data of all low-level offenses including misdemeanors and violations. The bill also requires police departments to submit annual reports on arrest-related deaths for submission to DCJS, the Governor and the Legislature.

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Single Occupancy Bathrooms (A5240A/S6479A)

Makes all single-occupancy bathrooms gender-neutral in school districts, charter schools, SUNY, CUNY, community colleges, restaurants, bars, commercial establishments, and state-owned or operated buildings.

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COVID-19 Contact Tracing (A10500C/S8450C)

Provides for the confidentiality of contact tracing information 

Budget Priorities

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Develop a separate funding stream for the implementation of Gender Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA), which extends civil rights protections to all members of the LGBTQ community.

Supporting $1 million in new funding for statewide awareness training and implementation of GENDA. Funding should be directed to CBOs that have a track record of hiring and mentoring TGNC/NB members of our community, in support of Transgender workforce development needs.
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Double the LGBTQ Health and Human Services budget from approximately $5 to $10 million annually in next year’s Executive Budget.

Supporting the LGBTQ Network to expand the Health and Human Services budget in accordance with their identified priorities.
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Create Cabinet Interagency Task Force for implementation of GENDA/DASA across all state agencies.

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Support full implementation of the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA), which encourages schools to share best-practices on bullying prevention.

Supporting the exploration or expansion of existing appropriation of $2 million at the State Education Department to fully implement DASA.

NY State 2020-21 Legislative Priorities

The NEW Pride Agenda submitted memos of support to the state legislature for the following bills:

Walking While Trans

Repeals the section of the New York State Penal Law that prohibits loitering for the purposes of prostitution, the enforcement of which has consistently targetted cisgender and transgender women of color. 

Hate Crimes Analysis & Review Act

Requires the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) to collect demographic data on crime victims and alleged perpetrators. This data would include gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, among other identifiers.

Gay and Trans Panic Defense Ban PASSED

Limits a defendant’s ability to use one’s sexual orientation or gender identity as a defense for violent or criminal behavior. This bill passed both chambers of the state legislature and was signed into law by the Governor as Chapter 45 of the Laws of 2019.

The Child Parent Security Act PASSED

Lifts the ban on compensated gestational surrogacy contracts. New York is one of only two states that bans these agreements.

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Long-Term Care Facility Residents’ Bill of Rights

Makes it unlawful for a long-term care facility, including residential health care facilities, adult care facilities, and assisted living residences, to discriminate based on an individual’s actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or HIV status.  

NY State 2020-21 Legislative Watchlist

The NEW Pride Agenda has the following bills on its State of New York watchlist: 

Gender Recognition Act

Creates a streamlined, non-stigmatized and privacy-protective process for TGNCNB individuals to change the name and gender marker on their identification documents. 

Comprehensive Sex Education

Requires comprehensive sexuality instructions that are age and developmentally appropriate for students in grades K-12. 

Protecting Victims of Trafficking (A6983B/S4981B)

Amends the criminal procedure law to strengthen protections for victims of sex trafficking, labor trafficking, compelling prostitution, and trafficking in persons who are convicted of a range of offenses.

Student Suicide Prevention Act

Requires governing body of a local school district, BOCES, school or education department serving students in grades 7-12 to adopt a policy on student suicide prevention, intervention, school safety and crisis response. 

Culturally Responsive LGBTQ Education Standards

Requires the Education Commissioner to promulgate rules for the implementation of a culturally responsive LGBTQ curriculum.

TGNCNB Parents and Child Custody Disputes (A861A/S432A)

Prevents a judge from prohibiting a parent from undergoing a gender reassignment when making a
determination in a child custody case.

LGBTQ History in NYS Education Curriculum

Instructs the Education Commissioner to establish an age-appropriate curriculum for school districts on the historical treatment of LGBTQ and gender non-conforming individuals.

PrEP and Insurance Coverage (A4962A/S34A)

Requires insurance coverage for PrEP/PEP.

Cyberbullying Task Force (A3057C/S8751)

Establishes a task force on cyber-bullying including gender identity and sexual orientation.