- Summary
- Actions
- Committee Votes
- Floor Votes
- Memo
- Text
- LFIN
- Chamber Video/Transcript
A06604 Summary:
| BILL NO | A06604 |
| SAME AS | SAME AS S04982 |
| SPONSOR | Reyes (MS) |
| COSPNSR | Dinowitz, Ramos, Rosenthal L, Joyner, Jean-Pierre, Simon, Aubry, Stirpe, Weprin, Williams, Taylor, Santabarbara, Steck, Paulin, Glick, Cruz, Lavine, Stern, Seawright, Rivera, Jacobson, DeStefano, Dickens, Epstein, McMahon, Burgos, Carroll, Forrest, Tapia, Ardila, Lunsford, Clark, Colton, Woerner, Sillitti, Bores, Solages |
| MLTSPNSR | Thiele |
| Amd 201-d, Lab L | |
| Protects employee freedom of speech and conscience by prohibiting employers from coercing employees into attending or participating in meetings sponsored by the employer concerning the employer's views on political or religious matters. | |
A06604 Actions:
| BILL NO | A06604 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 04/24/2023 | referred to labor | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 05/22/2023 | reported referred to codes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 05/31/2023 | reported referred to rules | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 06/06/2023 | reported | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 06/06/2023 | rules report cal.596 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 06/06/2023 | ordered to third reading rules cal.596 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 06/10/2023 | substituted by s4982 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S04982 AMEND= RAMOS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 02/17/2023 | REFERRED TO LABOR | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 05/17/2023 | 1ST REPORT CAL.1062 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 05/18/2023 | 2ND REPORT CAL. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 05/22/2023 | ADVANCED TO THIRD READING | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 06/08/2023 | PASSED SENATE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 06/08/2023 | DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 06/08/2023 | referred to codes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 06/10/2023 | substituted for a6604 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 06/10/2023 | ordered to third reading rules cal.596 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 06/10/2023 | passed assembly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 06/10/2023 | returned to senate | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 09/05/2023 | DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 09/06/2023 | SIGNED CHAP.354 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 02/17/2023 | REFERRED TO LABOR | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 05/17/2023 | 1ST REPORT CAL.1062 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 05/18/2023 | 2ND REPORT CAL. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 05/22/2023 | ADVANCED TO THIRD READING | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 06/08/2023 | PASSED SENATE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 06/08/2023 | DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 06/08/2023 | referred to codes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 06/10/2023 | substituted for a6604 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 06/10/2023 | ordered to third reading rules cal.596 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 06/10/2023 | passed assembly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 06/10/2023 | returned to senate | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 09/05/2023 | DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 09/06/2023 | SIGNED CHAP.354 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A06604 Committee Votes:
| Joyner | Aye | Brabenec | Aye | ||||||
| Colton | Aye | DiPietro | Aye | ||||||
| Benedetto | Aye | Morinello | Aye | ||||||
| Hevesi | Absent | DeStefano | Aye | ||||||
| Bronson | Aye | Durso | Aye | ||||||
| Rozic | Aye | Giglio | Aye | ||||||
| Steck | Aye | Smullen | Aye | ||||||
| Rosenthal | Aye | Bendett | Aye | ||||||
| Cruz | Aye | Slater | Aye | ||||||
| Reyes | Aye | ||||||||
| Ramos | Aye | ||||||||
| Jacobson | Aye | ||||||||
| Burgos | Aye | ||||||||
| Zinerman | Aye | ||||||||
| Taylor | Aye | ||||||||
| Sillitti | Aye | ||||||||
| Tapia | Aye | ||||||||
| Lucas | Aye | ||||||||
| Alvarez | Aye | ||||||||
| Ardila | Aye | ||||||||
| Dinowitz | Aye | Morinello | Aye | ||||||
| Pretlow | Aye | Reilly | Aye | ||||||
| Cook | Aye | Mikulin | Aye | ||||||
| O'Donnell | Excused | Tannousis | Aye | ||||||
| Lavine | Aye | Curran | Aye | ||||||
| Weprin | Aye | Angelino | Aye | ||||||
| Hevesi | Aye | Flood | Aye | ||||||
| Seawright | Aye | ||||||||
| Rosenthal | Aye | ||||||||
| Walker | Aye | ||||||||
| Vanel | Aye | ||||||||
| Cruz | Aye | ||||||||
| Carroll | Aye | ||||||||
| Simon | Aye | ||||||||
| Epstein | Aye | ||||||||
| Heastie | Excused | Barclay | Aye | ||||||
| Weinstein | Aye | Hawley | Aye | ||||||
| Pretlow | Aye | Giglio | Aye | ||||||
| Cook | Aye | Blankenbush | Aye | ||||||
| Glick | Aye | Norris | Aye | ||||||
| Aubry | Aye | Ra | Aye | ||||||
| Dinowitz | Aye | Brabenec | Aye | ||||||
| Colton | Aye | Palmesano | Aye | ||||||
| Magnarelli | Aye | Reilly | Aye | ||||||
| Paulin | Aye | ||||||||
| Peoples-Stokes | Aye | ||||||||
| Benedetto | Aye | ||||||||
| Lavine | Aye | ||||||||
| Lupardo | Aye | ||||||||
| Zebrowski | Aye | ||||||||
| Thiele | Aye | ||||||||
| Braunstein | Aye | ||||||||
| Dickens | Aye | ||||||||
| Davila | Aye | ||||||||
| Hyndman | Aye | ||||||||
| Rozic | Aye | ||||||||
| Bronson | Aye | ||||||||
Go to top
A06604 Floor Votes:
There are no votes for this bill in this legislative session.
Go to topA06604 Memo:
Go to topNEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the labor law, in relation to protecting employee free- dom of speech and conscience SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:: Section 1. Paragraphs d and e are added to define "political" and "reli- gious" matters. Section 2. Paragraph e is added to protect an employee's refusal to employer-sponsored meeting, listen to employer speech, or view employer communication that has the primary purpose of the employer's opinion concerning religious or political Section 3. Subdivision 8 is added to reiterate that employers are not from communicating to employees any information that the required by law to communicate; communicating any inform-job duties; having any higher education institutions meet employees as part of coursework; a require- ment limited to the managerial and supervisory employees. Subdivision 9 is added to Section 3 to provide exemptions for entities the require- ments of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 pursuant to 42 USC 2000e-1(a) with respect to speech on religious Subdivision 10 is added to Section 3 to require employees to post signing employees of their rights pursuant to this section all take effect immediately. JUSTIFICATION:: Over the past 40 years, as labor union membership has declined and' worker protect ons have been stripped, employers have been emboldened to share their political and personal beliefs with employees. Research shows that employers nationwide have increased partisan messaging to employees and that employees,may feel pressured into following their employers' political positions. Compared to high-earning employees, employees receiving lower ages report feeling fear of political coercion or political retaliation from their bosses at higher rated. Employer-sponsored communication has taken the form of mandatory poli- tical rallies for a partisan candidate and meetings regarding an employ- er's opinion on specific legislation. Not only are employers fabricating support for partisan politicians of their liking, they are also pushing their opinions on legislative issues, unionism, and religious topics on their work This bill protecting reiterated employees' right to free speech and' conscience by them from retaliation for refusing to attend meetings that primary purpose of communicating an employer's opinion regard-us or political' matters. Notably, non-partisan communication 1."get out the vote" drives would still be permitted and may represent how workplaces can positively influence civic action. By join-like Oregon and Connecti- cut that have passed or proposed similar legislation, this bill will Protect the political rights of New York State. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:: 2021-2022 - Referred to Labor 2019-2020 - Referred to Labor FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:: To be determined. EFFECTIVE DATE:: This act shall take effect; immediately
A06604 Text:
Go to topSTATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6604 2023-2024 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY April 24, 2023 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. REYES, DINOWITZ, RAMOS, L. ROSENTHAL, JOYNER, JEAN-PIERRE, SIMON, AUBRY, STIRPE, WEPRIN, WILLIAMS, TAYLOR, SANTABAR- BARA, STECK, PAULIN, GLICK, CRUZ, LAVINE, STERN, SEAWRIGHT, RIVERA, JACOBSON, DeSTEFANO, DICKENS, EPSTEIN, McMAHON, BURGOS, CARROLL, FORREST -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Labor AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to protecting employee free- dom of speech and conscience The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Paragraph c of subdivision 1 of section 201-d of the labor 2 law, as added by chapter 776 of the laws of 1992, is amended and two new 3 paragraphs d and e are added to read as follows: 4 c. "Work hours" shall mean, for purposes of this section, all time, 5 including paid and unpaid breaks and meal periods, that the employee is 6 suffered, permitted or expected to be engaged in work, and all time the 7 employee is actually engaged in work. This definition shall not be 8 referred to in determining hours worked for which an employee is enti- 9 tled to compensation under any law including article nineteen of this 10 chapter[.]; 11 d. "Political matters" shall mean matters relating to elections for 12 political office, political parties, legislation, regulation and the 13 decision to join or support any political party or political, civic, 14 community, fraternal or labor organization; 15 e. "Religious matters" shall mean matters relating to religious affil- 16 iation and practice and the decision to join or support any religious 17 organization or association. 18 § 2. Paragraphs c and d of subdivision 2 of section 201-d of the labor 19 law, paragraph c as amended by chapter 92 of the laws of 2021 and para- 20 graph d as added by chapter 776 of the laws of 1992, are amended to read 21 as follows: EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD05636-01-3A. 6604 2 1 c. an individual's legal recreational activities, including cannabis 2 in accordance with state law, outside work hours, off of the employer's 3 premises and without use of the employer's equipment or other property; 4 [or] 5 d. an individual's membership in a union or any exercise of rights 6 granted under Title 29, USCA, Chapter 7 or under article fourteen of the 7 civil service law; or 8 e. an individual's refusal to: (i) attend an employer-sponsored meet- 9 ing with the employer or its agent, representative or designee, the 10 primary purpose of which is to communicate the employer's opinion 11 concerning religious or political matters; or (ii) listen to speech or 12 view communications, the primary purpose of which is to communicate the 13 employer's opinion concerning religious or political matters. 14 § 3. Section 201-d of the labor law is amended by adding three new 15 subdivisions 8, 9 and 10 to read as follows: 16 8. Nothing in this section shall prohibit: (i) an employer or its 17 agent, representative or designee from communicating to its employees 18 any information that the employer is required by law to communicate, but 19 only to the extent of such legal requirement; (ii) an employer or its 20 agent, representative or designee from communicating to its employees 21 any information that is necessary for such employees to perform their 22 job duties; (iii) an institution of higher education, or any agent, 23 representative or designee of such institution, from meeting with or 24 participating in any communications with its employees that are part of 25 coursework, any symposia or an academic program at such institution; 26 (iv) casual conversations between employees or between an employee and 27 an agent, representative or designee of an employer, provided partic- 28 ipation in such conversations is not required; or (v) a requirement 29 limited to the employer's managerial and supervisory employees. 30 9. The provisions of this section shall not apply to a religious 31 corporation, entity, association, educational institution or society 32 that is exempt from the requirements of Title VII of the Civil Rights 33 Act of 1964 pursuant to 42 USC 2000e-1(a) with respect to speech on 34 religious matters to employees who perform work connected with the 35 activities undertaken by such religious corporation, entity, associ- 36 ation, educational institution or society. 37 10. Every employer shall post a sign in every workplace at the 38 location or locations where notices to employees are normally posted, to 39 inform employees of their rights pursuant to this section. 40 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.