Senator Gianaris Renews Call for NY to Deal With Discriminatory Religious Freedom Laws Permanently as Louisiana Follows Indiana’s Bad Example

As Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal instituted a new religious freedom law, Senator Michael Gianaris urged Governor Cuomo and New York state legislators to permanently oppose discriminatory religious freedom laws by enacting his legislation that would ban state-funded travel to any state that enacts a new discriminatory religious freedom law in the future.

“We took swift action as a state to combat Indiana’s discriminatory law last month, but we did not go far enough in asserting that New York would stand opposed to any new such laws in the future,” said Senator Gianaris. “Clearly other states did not get the message that discrimination will not be tolerated by the Empire State. I urge Governor Cuomo and my fellow legislators to pass my bill immediately and make clear that we will not stand for discrimination against our fellow citizens.”

Senator Gianaris introduced his legislation after Indiana instituted a religious freedom law that would implicitly allow for discrimination against the LGBT community. Senator Gianaris urged his fellow lawmakers to take up his proposal, which is sponsored in the State Assembly by Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell, and would ensure New York would always stand opposed to similar laws in any other state.

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