New York State Legislature: 2011 Legislative Session
- Marriage equality for same-sex couples
New York State Legislature: 2009 Legislative Session
New York State Legislature: 2007/2008 Legislative Session
Key Family Protection Bills & Pride Agenda Legislative Memos
Key Family Protection Bills & Pride Agenda Legislative Memos:
- Marriage for same-sex couples (A.7463/Gottfried)(S.5156/Duane)
- Medical Decision-Making (A.5406B/Gottfried); Pride Agenda
- Bereavement Leave for Employees In Same-Sex Relationships (A.2839B/Glick)(S.3403B/Andrews); Pride Agenda memo in support
- Sick Leave for Care of Domestic Partner (A.2673/Glick); Pride Agenda memo in support
- Require Insurance Companies to Make Domestic Partner Coverage Available to Policyholders (A.2224/O’Donnell)(S.5635/Balboni); Pride Agenda memo in support
- Expand Access to Family Court for Unmarried Partners (A.5052/Weinstein); Pride Agenda memo in support
- Codify Eligibility of Surviving Domestic Partners for Crime Victims’ Board Compensation (A.3694A/Glick)(S.1888A/Schneiderman); Pride Agenda memo in support
- School tax relief to seniors who are domestic partners (A.1359/Nolan)
- Property owned by domestic partners given school tax relief on same basis as property owned by married couples (A.7767/Englebright)
- Replace marriage with civil union in state law and make available equally to same-sex and opposite-sex couples (A.1823/Glick)
- Workers Compensation survivor benefits for domestic partners (A.3355/John)
- Establishes statewide domestic partner registry and provides a number of rights given to spouses (A.3693A/Glick)(S.1887A/Schneiderman)
- Use of unused sick leave of deceased state employee to continue health coverage of surviving domestic partner (A.6948/Brennan)(S.3609/Andrews)
- Makes cost of domestic partner accident and health benefits exempt from state and local taxes (A.7577/O’Donnell)(S.4795A/Duane)
- Accidental death benefits for surviving domestic partners of police and firefighters (A.8234B/Glick)
- Accidental death benefits for surviving domestic partners of New York City public employees (S.5157/Duane)
On March 3, 2004, New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said that out-of-state legal marriages of same-sex couples should be treated as valid marriages in New York. Since then, the following state agencies, localities and government entities have affirmed their respect for out-of-state marriages of same-sex couples:
New York State Agencies:
- New York State Retirement System:
- Letter from System member to NYS Comptroller, September 28, 2004 PDF
- Letter of response from NYS Comptroller, October 2, 2004 PDF
- Godfrey v. DiNapoli State Supreme Court Decision, September 5, 2007 PDF
New York State Localities:
- City of Albany, October 10, 2005; PDF
- City of Binghampton, June 1, 2007; PDF
- City of Buffalo, March 5, 2004; PDF
- Town of Brighton, March 5, 2004; PDF
- City of Ithaca, March 2, 2004; PDF
- Village of Nyack, February 27, 2004; PDF
- City of Rochester, May 4, 2004; PDF
- Rochester Corp. Counsel Opinion, March 19, 2004; PDF
- City of New York, April 7, 2005; PDF
- County of Westchester, June 6, 2006; PDF
- Westchester County release, June 7, 2006; PDF
Other Entities:
- The City University of New York (CUNY)
- Letter from Office of NYC Mayor to CUNY, June 7, 2005 PDF
- Letter from CUNY to Office of NYC Mayor, June 17, 2005 PDF
- Letter from Office of NYC Mayor to Pride Agenda, June 21, 2005 PDF
- International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 295/Local 851, July 8, 2005 PDF
In the aftermath of September 11, the Pride Agenda lead efforts to ensure equal treatment of same-sex partners and families of the victims of the attacks on the World Trade Center. As a result, New York State and several major relief agencies took the steps necessary to ensure equal treatment of LGBT families affected by the tragedy. Results with the federal government were more mixed.
Following are key documents addressing this issue:
- Spousal-equivalent benefits provided to domestic partners by New York State Crime Victims Board, Executive Order issued by Governor Pataki, October 11, 2001 PDF
- Request that federal victim compensation fund extend relief to domestic partners, letter to President Bush from Governor Pataki, Mayor Giuliani and NYS Attorney General Spitzer, November 27, 2001 PDF
- Equal relief assistance provided to surviving domestic partners and families by American Red Cross, letter from American Red Cross in Greater New York, November 30, 2001 PDF