Press Conference: Senate Majority will be holding a press conference on legislative package on LGBTQ issues

WHO:                         Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins
                                     Bill Sponsor, Senator Brad Hoylman
                                     Bill Sponsor, Senator Julia Salazar
                                     Bill Sponsor, Senator Kevin Thomas
                                     Members of the Senate Democratic Majority
                                     Andy Cohen, Author, Television Host, and Emmy Award
                                     Winning Executive Producer
                                    The Reverend Stan J. Sloan, CEO of Family Equality Council,
                                    the organization spearheading the
                                    Protecting Modern Families Coalition

WHEN:                      TODAY -- Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at 12:30 PM

WHERE:                    Room 124, New York State Capitol

The legislation includes:

The Modern Family Act: This bill, S.2071, sponsored by Senator Brad Hoylman, will lift the existing ban on genetic surrogacy and provide clear and decisive legal procedures to ensure children born through assisted reproduction and surrogacy have secure and legally recognized parental relationships with their intended parents.

Abolish “Gay Panic” Defense: This bill, S.3293, sponsored by Senator Brad Hoylman, will limit the use of extreme emotional disturbance as an affirmative defense, commonly known as the “Gay Panic” or “Trans Panic” defense, to a charge of murder in the second degree.

NYS Restoration of Honor Act: This bill, S.45B, sponsored by Senator Brad Hoylman, will restore eligibility for state programs and benefits for LGBTQ veterans and veterans with certain qualifying conditions who were less than honorably discharged from military service due solely to their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or those who received less than honorable discharges as a result of military sexual trauma, traumatic brain injury, or post-traumatic stress disorder.

LGBTQ Suicide Prevention Task Force: This bill, S.6315, sponsored by Senator Julia Salazar, will establish the LGBTQ Youth and Young Adult Suicide Prevention Task Force to examine, evaluate and determine how to improve mental health and suicide prevention for New York's LGBTQ youth and young adults up to the age of 24.

Gender Identity Data: This bill, S.6321, sponsored by Senator Kevin Thomas, will require the collection of additional demographic information for an improved understanding of the diversity of the state's LGBTQ community and its needs and experiences.