A4040A

The New York State Senate passed Assembly Bill 4040A, sponsored by Assemblymember Lasher, amending the Executive Law to codify housing discrimination protections. The measure passed 41-18, with 18 senators voting in opposition. Sen. Kavanagh, voting in favor, explained that the bill establishes in state law the longstanding national standard that practices with disparate impact on protected classes constitute discrimination. Kavanagh noted that while this standard has been enforced in New York through federal law authority, codifying it in state law becomes necessary following recent federal undermining of the standard. He stated that no opposition from the real estate industry or other stakeholders had been raised against the measure, characterizing it as maintaining the status quo in housing discrimination enforcement. The bill takes effect immediately.