A5448B

The New York State Senate unanimously passed Assembly Bill 5448B, legislation to combat hate crimes and discrimination at educational institutions. The bill, sponsored by Assemblymember Rozic, expands protections for students in grades 7-12 by establishing a pathway to report incidents of hate, antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of discrimination. The measure builds on prior legislation signed by the Governor in July 2023 requiring colleges and universities receiving state aid to report all hate crimes. Sen. Stavisky, the bill's sponsor in the Senate, credited the Majority Leader, SUNY, CUNY, and other college institutions for their support and collaboration. The bill passed 60-0. During floor debate, an amendment proposed by Sen. Weik to prohibit biological boys from competing in girls' sports was ruled nongermane by the Acting President. An appeal of that ruling failed when only 21 senators voted to overturn the chair's decision. The bill takes effect one year after becoming law.