Nondiscrimination bill clears New York assembly

A bill to ban antigay discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodation cleared the New York state assembly 113–33 on Monday. The vote coincided with the 30th anniversary of the bill’s introduction in the state legislature. “Every other state in the Northeast has passed a law to protect gay people from discrimination, but not New York,” said Joseph Grabarz Jr., deputy executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, a gay lobbying group. “We shouldn’t have to wait another minute, and we certainly shouldn’t have to wait another session.” In the past, Republican leaders in the state senate have blocked the bill from coming to a vote. Grabarz said that 32 of the 61 state senators have indicated they would vote for the bill given the opportunity.