BILL NUMBER: S2572

SPONSOR: FELDER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the general city law, in relation to establishing the
prohibition against requiring a permit for the singing of the national
anthem or the reciting of the pledge of allegiance

 
PURPOSE:

This bill seeks to prohibit the requiring of a permit for the singing of
the national anthem or the reciting of the pledge of allegiance.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one of the bill would amend the general city law to add a new
section 20-H to prohibit the requiring of a permit for the singing of
the national anthem or the reciting of the pledge of allegiance.

More specifically, this bill would provide a that any city that requires
a permit for the performance of an activity that takes place on public
              

or private land within such city, shall not apply any requirement to
obtain such a permit for, and shall not levy or assess any sanction or
any other penalty against any individual, group or organization for the
non permitted performance of, the singing of the national anthem of the
United States of America or the reciting of the pledge of allegiance to
the flag of the United States of America.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In 2016, a group of school children were stopped from signing the
National Anthem at September 11 memorial by security due to a require-
ment that any performance on such site must first obtain and purchase a
permit to do so.

The expression of singing the National Anthem or reciting the Pledge of
Allegiance to honor our nation, and those who have given their lives in
its service, should not require a permit, nor should those who sing such
Anthem or recite such Pledge be subject to sanctions or fines for fail-
ing to obtain such a permit. This bill would thereby permit such patri-
otic and reverential displays, without the unjustifiable interference of
the city in which they occur.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2016: S.7395

2017-18: S.3241 - Passed Senate

2019-20: S.346 - Referred to Committee

2021-22: S.3690 - Referred to Cities Committee

2023-24: S.1379 - Reported from Cities Committee

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.