Important New Women’s Equality Laws Lay Groundwork for Future Reforms

The following statement is attributable to NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman:

“We applaud Governor Cuomo for signing into law eight bills that provide important protections for the equal rights of women. These bills include provisions that promote pay equity, prohibit certain forms of housing discrimination, and protect against pregnancy discrimination and sexual harassment in the workplace. By closing significant loopholes in the existing legal framework for women’s rights and affirming our state’s commitment to equality, the bills signed today lay the foundation for further, future reforms.

We have more work to do to ensure that New York’s women can participate fully and equally in society. As states around the country turn back the clock and deny women reproductive rights, it is more important than ever that New York acts as a leader and stands up for progress by updating our abortion law and unequivocally protecting women’s fundamental rights to decide to end a pregnancy under Roe v. Wade.

Women’s equality also requires statewide paid family leave, so that new mothers are not forced to choose between taking time off from work to care for a newborn and being able to pay the bills.

Today’s eight new laws will provide New York’s women with additional tools to assert their rights. And we look forward to working with Gov. Cuomo to bring his commitment to women’s equality to fruition by fully protecting women’s reproductive rights and establishing paid family leave.”