Senator Dilan, Democratic Conference and Women’s Organizations Advocate Passage of 10-Point Women’s Equality Act

Senator Martin Malavé Dilan and Senate colleagues joined with women’s rights advocates to call on the Senate Coalition to pass the full Women’s Equality Act (WEA). Despite being passed twice in the State Assembly, the full Women’s Equality Act has not been brought before the Senate for a vote. Recently, the full Women’s Equality Act legislation was introduced in the Senate alongside a letter to Senate leaders urging immediate action.

The Women’s Equality Act was initially introduced in 2013 as a 10-point omnibus Governor’s Program Bill. By the close of last year’s legislative session the bill was introduced and passed in the State Assembly. However, the Senate Coalition leadership refused to bring the full Women’s Equality Act to the floor for a vote, and instead split the WEA up into ten separate bills, giving opponents the opportunity to vote down individual measures.

“Without question, the 10-point Women’s Equality Agenda will improve the lives of New York’s women and families for generations to come. Every day our mothers, sisters and friends struggle to find housing, to find employment, to find the respect they deserve, and to earn their fair share. Passage of this important package of legislation is overdue and I commend Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins for her persistence and leadership on this issue,” said Senator Dilan.

After the Assembly-passed initiative stalled in the Senate Rules Committee, Senator Dilan co-sponsored the 10-point WEA omnibus bill introduced by Senate Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.

The Women’s Equality Act will:

• Protect a Woman’s Freedom of Choice
• Achieve Pay Equity
• Stop Sexual Harassment in All Workplaces
• Allow for the Recovery of Attorneys’ Fees in Employment and Credit and Lending Cases
• Strengthen Human Trafficking Laws
• End Family Status Discrimination
• Stop Source-of-Income Discrimination
• Stop Housing Discrimination for Victims of Domestic Violence
• Stop Pregnancy Discrimination Once and For All
• Protect Victims of Domestic Violence by Strengthening Order-of-Protection Laws