BILL NUMBER: S2444
SPONSOR: FERNANDEZ
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the civil rights law, in relation to the right to breast
feed
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To change the verbiage from "mother" to "person" in regards to the right
to breastfeed.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends the civil rights law by changing the term "mother" to
"person" and using gender neutral pronouns.
Section 2 sets the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Words matter. The language we use has power, and we can use that power
to hurt or help. We have made great strides in recent years in New York
state to push towards gender equality and protect the rights of all
individuals regardless of their gender identity. Transgender men and
nonbinary individuals can carry and breastfeed their child while not
identifying as a mother. This bill recognizes that fact by changing the
language in civil rights law from giving mothers the right to breast
feed to giving people the right to breast feed.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: S5798
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately

Statutes affected:
S2444: 79-e civil rights law