NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8634
SPONSOR: Rosenthal TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the public buildings law, in relation
to requiring that all single use bathroom stalls in state owned or oper-
ated buildings be designated as gender neutral
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this legislation is to require single use bathroom stalls
in state owned or operated buildings be designated as gender neutral.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one amends the public building law by adding a new section.
Section two sets forth the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Gender identity is personal to an individual and not based on how the
public views the individual's appearance. Many individuals are subjected
to institutional hostility and made to feel uncomfortable when required
to access facilities that match an outward appearance. Providing a
gender neutral single use bathroom is a step toward acceptance of
differences and avoiding segregated groupings. A gender neutral single
use bathroom would eliminate the stigma an individual experiences by
imposing the need to choose a facility based on an outward appearance
when that appearance does not match how the individual feels inside.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Undetermined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it becomes law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8634
2015-2016 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
December 23, 2015
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the public buildings law, in relation to requiring that
all single use bathroom stalls in state owned or operated buildings be
designated as gender neutral
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The public buildings law is amended by adding a new section
2 144 to read as follows:
3 § 144. Gender neutral bathroom stalls. The commissioner of general
4 services shall mandate that all single use bathroom stalls in state
5 owned or operated buildings be designated as gender neutral. For
6 purposes of this section, "state owned or operated buildings" shall mean
7 any state owned property used for official office building space, and
8 shall include any office space, not owned by the state, but whose prima-
9 ry use is for state official business.
10 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
11 have become a law; provided, however, that the addition, amendment
12 and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation
13 of this act on its effective date is authorized to be made and completed
14 on or before such effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13368-01-5
