The New York State Senate

 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9869
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              April 19, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. EPSTEIN, ASHBY -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Governmental Operations
 
 AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation  to  adding  veterans  to
   protected classes for unlawful housing discrimination
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Section 296 of the executive law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 2-c to read as follows:
   2-C. (A) IT SHALL BE  AN  UNLAWFUL  DISCRIMINATORY  PRACTICE  FOR  THE
 OWNER,  LESSEE,  SUB-LESSEE, ASSIGNEE, OR MANAGING AGENT OF PUBLICLY-AS-
 SISTED HOUSING ACCOMMODATIONS OR OTHER PERSON HAVING THE RIGHT OF OWNER-
 SHIP OR POSSESSION OF OR THE RIGHT TO RENT OR LEASE SUCH  ACCOMMODATIONS
 TO  REFUSE  TO  SELL,  RENT OR LEASE OR OTHERWISE TO DENY TO OR WITHHOLD
 FROM ANY PERSON OR GROUP OF PERSONS SUCH HOUSING ACCOMMODATIONS  BECAUSE
 OF SUCH PERSON'S STATUS AS A VETERAN.
   (B)  FOR  THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, THE TERM "VETERAN" MEANS A
 PERSON, RESIDENT OF THIS STATE, WHO SERVED IN THE  UNITED  STATES  ARMY,
 NAVY, AIR FORCE, SPACE FORCE, MARINE CORPS, COAST GUARD, AND/OR RESERVES
 THEREOF, AND/OR IN THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD, AIR NATIONAL GUARD, NEW YORK
 GUARD  AND/OR  NEW  YORK NAVAL MILITIA, AND/OR WHO SERVED AS A MEMBER OF
 THE COMMISSIONED CORPS OF THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC  ADMINIS-
 TRATION  OR  THE  UNITED  STATES  PUBLIC  HEALTH  SERVICE  REGARDLESS OF
 DISCHARGE STATUS.
   § 2. Subdivision 5 of section 296 of the executive law is  amended  by
 adding a new paragraph (h) to read as follows:
   (H) (1) 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
 REFUSE TO SELL, RENT OR LEASE ANY HOUSING ACCOMMODATION, LAND OR COMMER-
 CIAL SPACE TO ANY PERSON BECAUSE OF SUCH PERSON'S STATUS AS A VETERAN.
   (2)  FOR  THE  PURPOSES  OF THIS PARAGRAPH, THE TERM "VETERAN" MEANS A
 PERSON, RESIDENT OF THIS STATE, WHO SERVED IN THE  UNITED  STATES  ARMY,
 NAVY, AIR FORCE, SPACE FORCE, MARINE CORPS, COAST GUARD, AND/OR RESERVES
 THEREOF, AND/OR IN THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD, AIR NATIONAL GUARD, NEW YORK
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD15353-02-2
 A. 9869                             2
 
 GUARD  AND/OR  NEW  YORK NAVAL MILITIA, AND/OR WHO SERVED AS A MEMBER OF
 THE COMMISSIONED CORPS OF THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC  ADMINIS-
 TRATION  OR  THE  UNITED  STATES  PUBLIC  HEALTH  SERVICE  REGARDLESS OF
 DISCHARGE STATUS.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.