NYC Human Rights Advocates Introduce Legislation to Prevent Discrimination

“Current law gives a victim of discrimination the right to sue for damages or injunctive relief,” said Robert Perry, NYCLU legislative director. “But the courts rarely address systemic discrimination. This bill would require that the city take affirmative, proactive measures to prevent discriminatory practices – and to provide a remedy when it occurs. It is designed to promote equality of opportunity and fair dealing in the operations of city government.”

The legislation, Human Rights GOAL (Government Operations Audit Law), would require city agencies to conduct periodic reviews, using data and community input, to root out any programs and policies that, intentionally or unintentionally, discriminate against specific groups of people. It is modeled after an international human rights treaty, which the United States has signed, called the International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD).

In 2005, then-Councilmember Bill Perkins sponsored a similar version of the anti-discrimination bill, but that effort stalled after Perkins was elected to the state Senate. Councilmember Helen Foster is sponsoring the revised bill. Councilmember Darlene Mealy is a co-sponsor.