STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9869
IN ASSEMBLY
April 19, 2022
___________
Introduced by M. of A. EPSTEIN, ASHBY -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to adding veterans to
protected classes for unlawful housing discrimination
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 296 of the executive law is amended by adding a new
2 subdivision 2-c to read as follows:
3 2-c. (a) It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for the
4 owner, lessee, sub-lessee, assignee, or managing agent of publicly-as-
5 sisted housing accommodations or other person having the right of owner-
6 ship or possession of or the right to rent or lease such accommodations
7 to refuse to sell, rent or lease or otherwise to deny to or withhold
8 from any person or group of persons such housing accommodations because
9 of such person's status as a veteran.
10 (b) For the purposes of this subdivision, the term "veteran" means a
11 person, resident of this state, who served in the United States army,
12 navy, air force, space force, marine corps, coast guard, and/or reserves
13 thereof, and/or in the army national guard, air national guard, New York
14 guard and/or New York naval militia, and/or who served as a member of
15 the commissioned corps of the national oceanic and atmospheric adminis-
16 tration or the United States public health service regardless of
17 discharge status.
18 § 2. Subdivision 5 of section 296 of the executive law is amended by
19 adding a new paragraph (h) to read as follows:
20 (h) (1) It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for any person
21 offering or providing housing accommodations, land or commercial space
22 as described in paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of this subdivision to
23 refuse to sell, rent or lease any housing accommodation, land or commer-
24 cial space to any person because of such person's status as a veteran.
25 (2) For the purposes of this paragraph, the term "veteran" means a
26 person, resident of this state, who served in the United States army,
27 navy, air force, space force, marine corps, coast guard, and/or reserves
28 thereof, and/or in the army national guard, air national guard, New York
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15353-02-2
A. 9869 2
1 guard and/or New York naval militia, and/or who served as a member of
2 the commissioned corps of the national oceanic and atmospheric adminis-
3 tration or the United States public health service regardless of
4 discharge status.
5 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
