S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7565
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                May 9, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. BARRETT -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Local Governments
 
 AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to county,  city,
   village or town commissions on human rights
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Section 239-o of the general municipal law, as  amended  by
 chapter 413 of the laws of 1964, is amended to read as follows:
   §  239-o.  Creation, appointment and terms. The governing board of any
 county, city, village or town may by resolution create a  commission  on
 human  rights. The governing board shall determine the number of members
 of such commission, the terms of the members, the manner of  appointment
 of  the  members,  the  selection of a chairman and the compensation, if
 any, to be paid to them. In selecting the membership of the  commission,
 the  governing  board  shall  take into consideration the various [reli-
 gious, racial, nationality] AGES, RACES, CREED, COLOR, NATIONAL  ORIGIN,
 SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY OR EXPRESSION, MILITARY STATUS, SEX,
 DISABILITY, PREDISPOSING GENETIC CHARACTERISTICS, FAMILIAL STATUS, MARI-
 TAL  STATUS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM STATUS and political groups in the
 community. The establishment of such a commission at one level of  local
 government  shall  not  preclude  establishment  of such a commission at
 other levels of local government.
   § 2. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 239-q  of  the  general
 municipal law, as amended by chapter 958 of the laws of 1968, is amended
 to read as follows:
   (a)  To  foster  mutual  respect  and understanding among all [racial,
 religious and nationality] AGES, RACES, CREED, COLOR,  NATIONAL  ORIGIN,
 SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY OR EXPRESSION, MILITARY STATUS, SEX,
 DISABILITY, PREDISPOSING GENETIC CHARACTERISTICS, FAMILIAL STATUS, MARI-
 TAL STATUS AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM STATUS groups in the community.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09971-04-9
              

 A. 7565                             2
 
   §  3. Subdivisions (a) and (b) of section 239-r of the general munici-
 pal law, as amended by chapter 958 of the laws of 1968, are  amended  to
 read as follows:
   (a)  To  receive  complaints  of  alleged discrimination because of AN
 INDIVIDUAL'S AGE, race, creed, color or national origin,  SEXUAL  ORIEN-
 TATION,  GENDER IDENTITY OR EXPRESSION, MILITARY STATUS, MARITAL STATUS,
 SEX, DISABILITY, PREDISPOSING GENETIC CHARACTERISTICS, FAMILIAL  STATUS,
 MARITAL  STATUS  OR  DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM STATUS, to seek the active
 assistance of the division of human rights in the solution of complaints
 which fall within the jurisdiction of the division and  to  prepare  its
 own  plans  in  the case of other complaints with a view to reducing and
 eliminating such alleged discrimination through the process  of  confer-
 ence, conciliation and persuasion.
   (b)  To hold conferences, and other public meetings in the interest of
 the constructive resolution of [racial, religious and nationality]  AGE,
 RACE, CREED, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY
 OR  EXPRESSION,  MILITARY  STATUS, SEX, DISABILITY, PREDISPOSING GENETIC
 CHARACTERISTICS, FAMILIAL STATUS, MARITAL STATUS AND  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE
 VICTIM  STATUS group tensions and the prejudice and discrimination occa-
 sioned thereby.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.