In her ongoing efforts to combat discrimination and societal bias that exists against the women of New York State, Assemblymember Didi Barrett (D-Hudson) announced that the Assembly once again passed the Women’s Equality Act. This act would level the playing field for all women and ensure gender discrimination is ended once and for all.

“My entire life I have advocated for the empowerment of women and girls – it is essential that we break down the barriers that discourage girls dreams and hold women back,” said Assemblymember Barrett. “Women from all walks of life deserve to know that they will be compensated properly in the workplace, safe from discrimination in housing and free to make their own healthcare choices. It is time to put a permanent end to gender inequality.”

This 10-point agenda, sponsored by Barrett, includes comprehensive reforms that would increase protections for victims of domestic violence; address pay inequity; end gender based discrimination; and reinforce women’s health and reproductive rights (A.8070). The measure awaits action in the State Senate.

The Women’s Equality Act contains 10 specific issue points, including:

• Ensuring women with equal pay for equal work;
• Putting an end to all sexual harassment in the workplace;
• Allowing for the recovery of attorney fees in discrimination cases;
• Ending family status discrimination;
• Stopping source-of-income discrimination;
• Codifying federal law to protect a woman’s right to choose;
• Stopping pregnancy discrimination;
• Stopping housing discrimination for victims of domestic violence;
• Strengthening order of protection laws for victims of domestic violence; and
• Strengthening New York’s human trafficking laws.

“It is now the Senate’s turn to bring this ten point omnibus bill to the floor for a vote,” Assemblymember Barrett said. “As one of our most visionary women advocates Susan B. Anthony once said, ‘Failure is impossible.’ We will not stop pushing for this legislation until it has been signed in to law.”