The regular 2022 state legislative session in Albany has come to an end, and the so-called “Equality Amendment”—an amendment that would extend constitutional protection to abortion, homosexual behavior, and transgenderism—has not received a vote in either house of the New York State Legislature. Jason J. McGuire, Executive Director of New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms, made the following remarks:
“The so-called ‘Equality Amendment’ is extreme, divisive, and unnecessary. New Yorkers should be thankful that it was left out of the Legislature’s end-of-session agenda. The New York State Constitution should not affirm or protect late-term abortion and male access to female-only space.”
The so-called “Equality Amendment” (Bill S.8797-A-Krueger/A.10468-A-Rules (Seawright)) would enact a constitutional ban on discrimination based on “pregnancy outcomes, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.” Unfortunately, the state of New York has already enacted laws that affirm and protect homosexual behavior (for example, the 2011 Marriage Equality Act), transgenderism (the 2019 Bathroom Law, also known as the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act), and unfettered abortion access at any stage of pregnancy (the 2019 Reproductive Health Act). The purpose of the so-called “Equality Amendment” is to make it impossible for future legislatures to reverse these laws by placing similar language into the text of the New York State Constitution. The so-called “Equality Amendment” would also result in more infringements upon religious liberty for New Yorkers whose faith traditions teach that abortion, homosexuality, and/or transgenderism are immoral.
McGuire continued, “In politics, it is often said that no victory is permanent. Left-wing lawmakers could revive the so-called ‘Equality Amendment’ next year, or they could return to Albany this summer and vote on it at that time. New York voters should be vigilant, and should let their elected officials know that they do not want the New York State Constitution to be co-opted by the woke left.”
To find out whether your state senator or your state assemblymember has sponsored the so-called “Equality Amendment,” please click here and here. To contact your state legislators and urge them to oppose the so-called “Equality Amendment,” please click here.