‘Equality Act’ Passes House of Representatives, Moves to U.S. Senate
Rochester, NY—The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 5, the so-called Equality Act, today by a vote of 224-206 (unofficial). The Equality Act would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The bill would give biological males access to female-only spaces (including women’s shelters) across the nation, would create unfair conditions for female…
Clearing Up Congressional Confusion Concerning The ‘Equality Act’
The so-called Equality Act is expected to receive a floor vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, February 25, 2021. The Equality Act is a deeply misleading piece of legislation. On its surface, the bill looks like an anti-discrimination measure; it would add “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” as anti-discrimination categories under federal…
National Coalition Launches ‘Promise To America’s Children’
A coalition of national-level and state-level organizations recently unveiled an important new initiative called the Promise to America’s Children. The Promise to America’s Children is a national movement encouraging lawmakers and parents to commit themselves to supporting laws that protect children’s health, children’s safety, and children’s relationships with their parents. The Promise to America’s Children…
Rent-A-Womb Regulations Now In Effect
In 2020, following years of opposition from New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms and others, the State of New York legalized paid surrogacy. The law (Chapter 56 of the Laws of 2020) was passed during the state budget process, and it went into effect on February 15, 2021. It is now legal in New York for…
Allied Organizations Unveil “Promise To America’s Children”
A coalition of national-level and state-level organizations, including ours, recently unveiled an important new initiative called the Promise to America’s Children. The Promise to America’s Children is “a national movement of parents and lawmakers to oppose legislation that harms children, like the Equality Act, and to create and support laws that will protect children’s health,…
Biden Signs SOGI Order
Among a myriad of Executive Orders, Proclamations, and other directives issued by President Joe Biden during his first two days in office is an order establishing civil rights-level legal protections on the basis of “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” (SOGI). The Executive Order, which was not unexpected, directs the leaders of each agency under the authority…
President Biden’s Priorities
Corrected February 4, 2021 Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States on January 20, 2021. President Biden’s actions thus far, together with his stated plans for his first 100 days in office, provide a clear picture of his priorities for the nation. It appears that those priorities involve dismantling many…
So-Called Equality Act Could See Life In New Congress
The Democratic Party’s takeover of Congress and the White House in the 2020 elections will have major repercussions for policymaking at the federal level in 2021. One piece of damaging legislation that could become law this year is the so-called Equality Act. The Equality Act would make sexual orientation and gender identity protected categories under…
NYCF Releases 2021-2022 Legislative Agenda
At the beginning of the New York state legislative session in every odd-numbered year, New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms (NYCF) prepares its legislative agenda. This document is distributed to all 213 members of the New York State Legislature. NYCF’s legislative agenda lays out a set of policy priorities driven by our mission to influence legislation…
Cuomo Wants State To Cash In On Cannabis—And Serve As Bookie
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s 2021 State of the State Address has been scheduled for Monday, January 11. Due to the coronavirus, the address will be delivered in a virtual setting. On January 6, the Governor offered a preview of some of the proposals he intends to unveil during his address. Gov. Cuomo noted that state government…
State Senate Selects 2021 Committee Chairs
On January 5, 2021, the Senate Democratic Conference released their list of committee chairs for the 2021 legislative session. One selection, in particular, is cause for concern. Sen. Jabari Brisport, 33, is a first-term legislator from Brooklyn. A teacher by profession, Sen. Brisport campaigned on an aggressively left-wing agenda that included calls for single-payer health…
Baby Bichotte Bill Becomes Law
Last July, both houses of the New York State Legislature passed the Jonah Bichotte Cowan Law to protect pregnant mothers who experience pre-term labor. The Jonah Bichotte Cowan Law (Bill S.8525-Montgomery/A.2770-C-Bichotte) was introduced by Asm. Rodneyse Bichotte (D-Brooklyn). The bill is named for the Assemblywoman’s deceased son. Asm. Bichotte recently shared her personal experience with…
State Senate Selects 2021 Leadership
In preparation for the 2021 legislative session, Republican and Democratic members of the New York State Senate have chosen their respective leaders. On December 15, 2020, the 20-member Senate Republican Conference unanimously elected Sen. Rob Ortt (R-North Tonawanda) to continue in the role of Senate Minority Leader. Sen. Ortt first assumed this leadership role in…
Promoting Strong Families
Matthew 19:4-6: “And [Jesus] answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no…
Rosenthal Introduces COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate
If you thought the great mask divide of 2020 was contentious, get ready for the vaccine mandate debate of 2021. A New York state lawmaker has introduced a bill that, if passed and signed into law, could lead to a COVID-19 vaccination mandate. The bill, A.11179, was introduced at the request of Asm. Linda Rosenthal…
How Will A Democratic Supermajority Reshape New York?
Now that Senate Democrats in New York state have secured two-thirds of the legislative seats in that chamber, what will they do with their supermajority? A Democratic supermajority in both houses of the State Legislature (the State Assembly has been under a Democratic supermajority for decades) will certainly change the political landscape of Albany. Undoubtedly,…