Where we stand at the end of the 2013 New York State Legislative Session - In his January 2013 State of the State address, New York Governor Cuomo introduced a 10 Point Plan for Women’s Equality, the Women’s Equality Agenda.
On June 4, 2013, Governor Cuomo introduced the Women’s Equality Act, legislation to make these 10 points New York State law. This legislation represents a comprehensive civil rights act for the women of New York State and sets an example for the nation.
While there is widespread support for all 10 points of the Women’s Equality Act among both the people of the State of New York, (for example, one poll said that about 67% of New Yorkers support the full 10 points http://www.nyclu.org/news/quinnipiac-poll-finds-overwhelming-support-womens-equality-act) and among New York State legislators, those in control of the New York State Senate have refused to bring the full bill to the floor of the State Senate for a vote. The belief was that there were not enough votes to pass the bill in its entirety but that there was enough support to pass nine of the ten provisions.
On Tuesday, June 18, 2013, a separate bill for each 9 of the 10 provisions of the Women’s Equality Act were introduced in the New York State Senate. This made it possible for the New York State Senate to hold a vote on the separate bills on Friday, June 21, 2013, the last day of this session for the State Legislature.
On June 20, the New York State Assembly passed the Women’s Equality Act (A 8070) in its entirety, by an overwhelming majority. The nine stand alone pieces of legislation were not introduced in the Assembly, just the Senate. For the State Assembly statement on the passage of this legislation, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/Press/20130620d/
For the Roll Call of the vote for the Women’s Equality Act in the State Assembly, see http://www.scribd.com/doc/149063729/130620-Assembly-Rollcall-WEA-pdf.
In the New York State Senate, votes were held on Friday, June 21, 2013, on the nine separate bills. These nine bills passed. The 10th provision of the Women’s Equality Act, on Reproductive Health and Choice was not introduced as a separate bill, and therefore, no vote was taken on this provision.
Because both houses of the New York State Legislature must pass the same bill before it can be signed by the governor into law, the Women’s Equality Act is not yet New York State law, even though it has the overwhelming support of both the legislators and the people of New York and nine of the ten provisions have passed both the Senate and Assembly.
It is possible that the State Assembly will be called back into session in order to vote on the nine separate bills that were passed by the State Senate, so that at least those provisions of the Women’s Equality Act can become state law. However, many female members of the State Assembly are opposed to separating the ten provisions of the bill, believing that only by passing all ten provisions can the women of New York have full justice and equality.
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2013/06/sheldon-silver-does-not-rule-out-taking-up-womens-equality-bills-individually
I urge the members of New York State Women, Inc. to find out how their State Senators and State Assembly Members voted on this vital legislation, thank those who voted for it, and have a discussion with those who did not vote for it; find out why they did not support it, and explain why we feel so strongly that it must be passed.