Assemblymember Fred W. Thiele (D-Sag Harbor) today announced that the New York State Legislature passed an Equality Amendment to enshrine equal rights into the State Constitution and solidify the right to abortion access in New York. This concurrent resolution (A.1283) will ensure that the New York State Constitution protects individuals against discrimination based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, creed, religion or sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. After passing both houses of the Legislature for a second consecutive year, the Equality Amendment will go before voters as a ballot referendum in November 2024.

Assemblymember Thiele said, “New Yorkers deserve a constitution that recognizes equal rights and justice to every person, regardless of who they are. Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s reckless decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, codifying reproductive rights in our State Constitution is paramount. I am proud to have contributed to the passage of the most comprehensive constitutional protection against discrimination of any state in the nation. New York must continue to stand up and be a national leader to secure women and individual rights. Just last year, the Legislature passed laws to protect health care providers and patients from other states’ attempts to limit lawful access to abortion in New York. I will never stop fighting to make our state a better place for all Long Islanders and New Yorkers.”