S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  5369

                       2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            February 13, 2009
                               ___________

Introduced by M. of A. CAMARA -- read once and referred to the Committee
  on Housing

AN  ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to making it an unlawful
  discriminatory practice to discriminate in the ownership, use, leasing
  or occupancy of housing accommodations based upon source of income

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  Short  title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
the "source of income anti-discrimination act".
  S 2. Subdivision 2 of section 291 of the executive law, as amended  by
chapter 106 of the laws of 2003, is amended to read as follows:
  2.  The  opportunity  to obtain education, the use of places of public
accommodation and the ownership, use and occupancy of  housing  accommo-
dations  and  commercial  space  without  discrimination because of age,
race,  creed,  color,  national  origin,  sexual  orientation,  military
status, SOURCE OF INCOME, sex or marital status, as specified in section
two  hundred  ninety-six  of  this  article, is hereby recognized as and
declared to be a civil right.
  S 3. Section 292 of the executive law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
subdivision 34 to read as follows:
  34.  THE TERM "SOURCE OF INCOME", WHEN USED IN THIS ARTICLE, MEANS ANY
LAWFUL SOURCE OF INCOME PAID DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY TO A RENTER OR BUYER
OF HOUSING, INCLUDING:
  (A) ANY LAWFUL PROFESSION OR OCCUPATION;
  (B) ANY GOVERNMENT OR PRIVATE ASSISTANCE, GRANT OR LOAN PROGRAM;
  (C) ANY GIFT, INHERITANCE, PENSION, ANNUITY, ALIMONY,  CHILD  SUPPORT,
OR OTHER BENEFIT OR CONSIDERATION; OR
  (D)  ANY  SALE  OR PLEDGE OF REAL OR PERSONAL PROPERTY, OR INTEREST IN
REAL OR PERSONAL PROPERTY.
  S 4. Subdivision 9 of section 295 of the executive law, as amended  by
chapter 106 of the laws of 2003, is amended to read as follows:

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD06209-01-9
              

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  9. To develop human rights plans and policies for the state and assist
in their execution and to make investigations and studies appropriate to
effectuate  this article and to issue such publications and such results
of investigations and research as in its [judgement] JUDGMENT will  tend
to inform persons of the rights assured and remedies provided under this
article,  to  promote good-will and minimize or eliminate discrimination
because of age, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation,
military status, sex, disability  [or],  marital  status  OR  SOURCE  OF
INCOME.
  S  5. Paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of subdivision 2-a of section 296 of
the executive law, as amended by chapter 106 of the laws  of  2003,  are
amended to read as follows:
  (a)  To refuse to sell, rent or lease or otherwise to deny to or with-
hold from any person or group of  persons  such  housing  accommodations
because  of  the race, creed, color, disability, national origin, sexual
orientation, military status, age, sex, marital  status,  [or]  familial
status,  OR  SOURCE OF INCOME of such person or persons, or to represent
that any housing accommodation or land is not available for  inspection,
sale, rental or lease when in fact it is so available.
  (b)  To  discriminate  against  any person because of his or her race,
creed, color, disability, national origin, sexual orientation,  military
status,  age,  sex,  marital  status, [or] familial status, OR SOURCE OF
INCOME in the terms, conditions or privileges of  any  publicly-assisted
housing accommodations or in the furnishing of facilities or services in
connection therewith.
  (c) To cause to be made any written or oral inquiry or record concern-
ing  the  race, creed, color, disability, national origin, sexual orien-
tation, membership in the reserve armed forces of the United  States  or
in  the  organized  militia of the state, age, sex, marital status, [or]
familial status, OR SOURCE OF INCOME of a  person  seeking  to  rent  or
lease  any  publicly-assisted  housing accommodation; provided, however,
that nothing in this subdivision shall prohibit a member of the  reserve
armed  forces  of  the  United States or in the organized militia of the
state from voluntarily disclosing such membership.
  S 6. Subdivision 5 of section 296 of the executive law, as amended  by
chapter 106 of the laws of 2003, is amended to read as follows:
  5.  (a) It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for the owner,
lessee, sub-lessee, assignee, or managing  agent  of,  or  other  person
having  the  right  to  sell,  rent  or  lease  a housing accommodation,
constructed or to be constructed, or any agent or employee thereof:
  (1) To refuse to sell, rent, lease or otherwise to deny to or withhold
from any person or group of persons such a housing accommodation because
of the race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military
status, sex, age, disability, marital status, [or] familial  status,  OR
SOURCE  OF  INCOME  of  such person or persons, or to represent that any
housing accommodation or land is not  available  for  inspection,  sale,
rental or lease when in fact it is so available.
  (2)  To discriminate against any person because of race, creed, color,
national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, age, disabil-
ity, marital status, [or] familial status, OR SOURCE OF  INCOME  in  the
terms, conditions or privileges of the sale, rental or lease of any such
housing  accommodation or in the furnishing of facilities or services in
connection therewith.
  (3) To print or circulate or cause to be  printed  or  circulated  any
statement,  advertisement or publication, or to use any form of applica-
tion for the purchase, rental or lease of such housing accommodation  or

A. 5369                             3

to  make  any  record  or  inquiry  in  connection  with the prospective
purchase,  rental  or  lease  of  such  a  housing  accommodation  which
expresses,  directly  or  indirectly,  any  limitation, specification or
discrimination  as to race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orien-
tation, military status, sex,  age,  disability,  marital  status,  [or]
familial  status,  or  SOURCE  OF INCOME, OR any intent to make any such
limitation, specification or discrimination.
  The provisions of this paragraph [(a)] shall  not  apply  (1)  to  the
rental  of  a housing accommodation in a building which contains housing
accommodations for not more than two families  living  independently  of
each  other, if the owner resides in one of such housing accommodations,
(2) to the restriction of the rental of all rooms in a housing  accommo-
dation  to individuals of the same sex or (3) to the rental of a room or
rooms in a housing accommodation, if such rental is by the  occupant  of
the  housing  accommodation or by the owner of the housing accommodation
and the owner resides in such housing accommodation or (4)  solely  with
respect  to  age  and  familial  status  to the restriction of the sale,
rental or lease of housing accommodations exclusively to persons  sixty-
two  years  of  age  or  older and the spouse of any such person, or for
housing intended and operated for  occupancy  by  at  least  one  person
fifty-five  years of age or older per unit. In determining whether hous-
ing is intended and operated for occupancy by persons  fifty-five  years
of age or older, Sec. 807(b) (2) (c) (42 U.S.C. 3607 (b) (2) (c)) of the
federal Fair Housing Act of 1988, as amended, shall apply.
  (b)  It  shall  be  an unlawful discriminatory practice for the owner,
lessee, sub-lessee, or managing agent of, or  other  person  having  the
right of ownership or possession of or the right to sell, rent or lease,
land or commercial space:
  (1)  To  refuse  to sell, rent, lease or otherwise deny to or withhold
from any person or group of persons land or commercial space because  of
the  race,  creed,  color, national origin, sexual orientation, military
status, sex, age, disability, marital status, [or] familial  status,  OR
SOURCE  OF  INCOME  of  such person or persons, or to represent that any
housing accommodation or land is not  available  for  inspection,  sale,
rental or lease when in fact it is so available;
  (2)  To discriminate against any person because of race, creed, color,
national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, age, disabil-
ity, marital status, [or] familial status, OR SOURCE OF  INCOME  in  the
terms, conditions or privileges of the sale, rental or lease of any such
land or commercial space; or in the furnishing of facilities or services
in connection therewith;
  (3)  To  print  or  circulate or cause to be printed or circulated any
statement, advertisement or publication, or to use any form of  applica-
tion  for the purchase, rental or lease of such land or commercial space
or to make any record or inquiry  in  connection  with  the  prospective
purchase,  rental  or  lease  of  such  land  or  commercial space which
expresses, directly or  indirectly,  any  limitation,  specification  or
discrimination  as to race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orien-
tation, military status, sex,  age,  disability,  marital  status,  [or]
familial  status,  OR  SOURCE  OF INCOME; or any intent to make any such
limitation, specification or discrimination.
  (4) With respect to age and familial status, the  provisions  of  this
paragraph  shall  not  apply  to  the restriction of the sale, rental or
lease of land or commercial  space  exclusively  to  persons  fifty-five
years  of  age  or  older  and  the spouse of any such person, or to the
restriction of the sale, rental or lease of land  to  be  used  for  the

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construction,  or  location  of  housing  accommodations exclusively for
persons sixty-two years of age or older, or intended  and  operated  for
occupancy  by  at  least one person fifty-five years of age or older per
unit.  In determining whether housing is intended and operated for occu-
pancy by persons fifty-five years of age or older, Sec. 807(b)  (2)  (c)
(42  U.S.C. 3607(b) (2) (c)) of the federal Fair Housing Act of 1988, as
amended, shall apply.
  (c) It shall be an  unlawful  discriminatory  practice  for  any  real
estate broker, real estate salesperson or employee or agent thereof:
  (1)  To  refuse to sell, rent or lease any housing accommodation, land
or commercial space to any person or group of persons or  to  refuse  to
negotiate  for  the sale, rental or lease, of any housing accommodation,
land or commercial space to any person or group of  persons  because  of
the  race,  creed,  color, national origin, sexual orientation, military
status, sex, age, disability, marital status, [or] familial  status,  OR
SOURCE  OF  INCOME  of  such person or persons, or to represent that any
housing accommodation, land or commercial space  is  not  available  for
inspection,  sale,  rental  or lease when in fact it is so available, or
otherwise to deny or withhold any housing accommodation, land or commer-
cial space or any facilities  of  any  housing  accommodation,  land  or
commercial  space  from  any  person  or group of persons because of the
race,  creed,  color,  national  origin,  sexual  orientation,  military
status,  sex,  age, disability, marital status, [or] familial status, OR
SOURCE OF INCOME of such person or persons.
  (2) To print or circulate or cause to be  printed  or  circulated  any
statement,  advertisement or publication, or to use any form of applica-
tion for the purchase, rental or lease  of  any  housing  accommodation,
land  or commercial space or to make any record or inquiry in connection
with the prospective purchase, rental or lease of any  housing  accommo-
dation,  land or commercial space which expresses, directly or indirect-
ly, any limitation, specification, or discrimination as to race,  creed,
color,  national  origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, age,
disability, marital status, [or] familial status, OR SOURCE  OF  INCOME;
or  any  intent  to make any such limitation, specification or discrimi-
nation.
  (3) With respect to age and familial status, the  provisions  of  this
paragraph  shall  not  apply  to  the restriction of the sale, rental or
lease of any land or commercial space exclusively to persons  fifty-five
years  of  age  or  older  and  the spouse of any such person, or to the
restriction of the sale, rental or lease of any housing accommodation or
land to be used for the construction or  location  of  housing  accommo-
dations  for  persons  sixty-two  years of age or older, or intended and
operated for occupancy by at least one person fifty-five years of age or
older per unit. In determining whether housing is intended and  operated
for occupancy by persons fifty-five years of age or older, Sec.  807 (b)
(2)  (c) (42 U.S.C. 3607 (b) (2) (c)) of the federal Fair Housing Act of
1988, as amended, shall apply.
  (d) It shall be an  unlawful  discriminatory  practice  for  any  real
estate board, because of the race, creed, color, national origin, sexual
orientation, military status, age, sex, disability, marital status, [or]
familial  status, OR SOURCE OF INCOME of any individual who is otherwise
qualified for membership, to  exclude  or  expel  such  individual  from
membership,  or  to  discriminate  against such individual in the terms,
conditions and privileges of membership in such board.
  (e) It shall be an unlawful discriminatory  practice  for  the  owner,
proprietor  or  managing  agent  of, or other person having the right to

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provide care and services in, a private proprietary nursing home, conva-
lescent home, or home for adults, or an intermediate care  facility,  as
defined   in   section  two  of  the  social  services  law,  heretofore
constructed,  or to be constructed, or any agent or employee thereof, to
refuse to provide services and care in such  home  or  facility  to  any
individual  or  to  discriminate  against  any  individual in the terms,
conditions, and privileges of such services and care solely because such
individual is a blind person. For purposes of this paragraph,  a  "blind
person" shall mean a person who is registered as a blind person with the
commission  for the visually handicapped and who meets the definition of
a "blind person" pursuant to  section  three  of  chapter  four  hundred
fifteen  of  the  laws of nineteen hundred thirteen [entitled "An act to
establish a state commission for improving the condition of the blind of
the state of New York, and making an appropriation therefor"].
  (f) The provisions of this subdivision, as they relate to  age,  shall
not apply to persons under the age of eighteen years.
  (g)  It  shall  be  an unlawful discriminatory practice for any person
offering or providing housing accommodations, land or  commercial  space
as described in paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of this subdivision to make
or  cause  to  be  made any written or oral inquiry or record concerning
membership of any person in the state organized militia in  relation  to
the  purchase,  rental  or lease of such housing accommodation, land, or
commercial space, provided, however, that nothing  in  this  subdivision
shall  prohibit a member of the state organized militia from voluntarily
disclosing such membership.
  S 7. Section 296 of the executive law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
subdivision 21 to read as follows:
  21.  NOTHING IN THIS SECTION PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION BASED UPON THE
SOURCE OF INCOME SHALL BE DEEMED TO PROHIBIT ANY PERSON FROM:
  (A) REFUSING TO CONSIDER ANY INCOME DERIVED FROM ANY  CRIMINAL  ACTIV-
ITY; OR
  (B)  DETERMINING  THE  ABILITY OF A POTENTIAL BUYER OR RENTER TO PAY A
PURCHASE PRICE OR RENT BY:
  (I) VERIFYING, IN A COMMERCIALLY REASONABLE  MANNER,  THE  SOURCE  AND
AMOUNT OF INCOME OF A POTENTIAL BUYER OR RENTER, OR
  (II)  EVALUATING,  IN A COMMERCIALLY REASONABLE MANNER, THE STABILITY,
SECURITY AND CREDIT WORTHINESS OF A POTENTIAL BUYER OR RENTER, OR OF ANY
SOURCE OF INCOME OF A POTENTIAL BUYER OR RENTER.
  S 8. This act shall take effect on the first of July  next  succeeding
the date upon which it shall have become a law.