A History of Accomplishments | Pride Agenda

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Home About Us A History of Accomplishments More Share Igniting Equality Current Legislation Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act The Child-Parent Security Act Funding Advocacy Funding for Health and Human Services Funding for Runaway and Homeless Youth Action Center Find my Elected Officials Support Transgender Non-Discrimination Law View Action Alerts Sign Up For Our Email List Election Center Support our PAC Seek our Endorsement Register to Vote PAC Donation Form News Blog Press Releases E-Mails to Supporters Media Kit About Us Our Mission and Public Policy Agenda The Two Components of the Pride Agenda A History of Accomplishments Staff Directory Board of Directors Employment Events Hamptons Tea Dance Rochester Pride
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A History of Accomplishments
We have a track record of producing - not just promising - for New York State's LGBT community. With the support and participation of people and groups all across New York, we have won 80 separate victories on the local and state levels. Many of these advances recognize our relationships and provide direct recognition by government that LGBT families need and deserve the same support that all other families
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receive. Highlights of these victories include:

2013
Launch of Pride Agenda's aggressive paid advocacy campaign to pass the Gender Expression NonDiscrimination Act (GENDA), including print, radio and digital advertising. This legislation would protect the basic civil rights of transgender New Yorkers in areas such as employment; housing; public accommodations like businesses, hospitals and public transportation; education; and credit. (April 16, 2013) Passage of GENDA in the New York State Assembly for the sixth time. (April 30, 2013) Passage of a transgender-inclusive non-discrimination ordinance by the Albany County Legislature. (June 10, 2013) Legislative Session ends with the State Senate failing to vote on GENDA, despite historic progress and and the broadest, deepest and most diverse statewide coalition yet, including law enforcement, labor, faith, civil rights, LGBT, progressive and womens organizations. (June 22, 2013) Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) struck down by United States Supreme Court. This federal marriage ban was challenged by longtime Pride Agenda supporter Edie Windsor, and we filed an amicus brief on her behalf. On the same day the Court issued a ruling that put an end to California's divisive Proposition 8. (June 26, 2013)

2012
Passage of GENDA in the New York State Assembly for the fifth time. (April 30, 2012) Passage of legislation extending the Dignity for all Students Act to include protections against cyberbullying. (June 18, 2012) Implementation of the Dignity for All Students Act. (July 1, 2012) Successful lobbying effort includes result in state budget funding for shelter beds for runaway and homeless youth, approximately 40% of whom are LGBT, to $2.45 million. Level funding is also maintained for other non-HIV LGBT health and human services at $5.26 million, bringing the total raised by the Pride Agenda for these programs to $64.949 million since 1998. (March 28, 2012) Passage of a transgender non-discrimination ordinance by the City of Syracuse. (November 19, 2012)

2011
Passage of the Marriage Equality Act by the New York State Legislature, after nearly a decade of public education and lobbying by the Pride Agenda. The governor immediately signs the bill into law. (June 24, 2011) Passage of GENDA by the New York State Assembly for the fourth time. (June 14, 2011) Executive order first signed by former Governor Paterson in 2009 prohibiting discrimination in state employment on the basis of gender identity and expression continued by Governor Andrew Cuomo in his first weeks in office. (January, 2011)

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2010
Election of Governor Andrew Cuomo. In addition, the Pride Agenda works to elect pro-LGBT candidates, adding two new voices for marriage equality to the State Senate, setting the stage for a vote on marriage. (November 2, 2010) Mandate by the New York State Department of Health that the health and human services needs of LGBT New Yorkers will be considered in all decisions about how funding offered through its Center for Community Health will be spent. (April 21, 2010) Passage of legislation providing medical decision-making authority to same-sex partners. (February 25, 2010) Passage of legislation requiring that same-sex partners be treated the same as spouses for bereavement leave from their job. (July 7, 2010) Passage of legislation allowing same-sex couples to adopt a child together. (July 7, 2010) Passage of legislation that expands and increases access to services for LGBT seniors. (July 7, 2010) Passage of the Dignity for All Students Act (Dignity), which combats bias-based bullying, harassment and discrimination in the states public schools. In addition to including protections based on sexual orientation, Dignity is the first-ever state law that includes protections based on gender identity and expression. Signed into law by Governor Paterson. (September 8, 2010)

2009
Executive order prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity and expression for state employees issued by Governor Paterson. (December 16, 2009) Passage of marriage, GENDA and the Dignity for All Students Act by the New York State Assembly all in the same year for the first time, adding to the pressure on the State Senate to take action before the end of session in June. $9.128 million in state funds secured by the Pride Agenda from the 2009-10 state budget for LGBT non-HIV health and human services programs. The largest amount ever secured in a single year.

2008
Passage of legislation allowing same-sex domestic partners access to Family Court and the domestic violence protections it provides. (June 24, 2008) Passage of GENDA for the first time ever by the New York State Assembly. (June 3, 2008) Instruction from Governor Paterson to state agencies to begin respecting legal out-of-state marriages of same-sex couples, granting these couples the 1,324 state-based rights and responsibilities of marriage that flow through those agencies. (May 28, 2008)

2007
Passage of the marriage equality act by the New York State Assembly for the first time. (June 19, 2007) Decision by New York State Department of Civil Service to provide legally married same-sex
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spouses of government employees with access to medical and other spousal benefits through the state health plan, which covers state employees and 700-plus school districts and municipalities across the state. (April 27, 2007) A record $8 million in state funds from the 2007-2008 state budget secured for LGBT non-HIV health and human services programs.

2006
Decision by Westchester County affirming that out-of-state legal marriages of same-sex couples will be respected by the County. (June 7, 2006) Passage of fair housing ordinance by the City of Buffalo Common Council to prevent discrimination based upon gender identity and expression in housing. (May 2, 2006) Passage of legislation allowing domestic partners control of their deceased partners remains with an improved definition of domestic partner, making it uniform with the rest of state law. (April 27, 2006)

2005
Passage of legislation giving same-sex partners the same authority as spouses in making burial decisions for a deceased partner. (June 29, 2005) Decision by the City University of New York to treat marriages of same-sex employees identically to marriages of other employees in administering benefits. (June 22, 2005) Statement by New York City that marriages of same-sex couples performed elsewhere will be treated as valid in the provision of all city services where marital status is a factor. (April 7, 2005)

2004
Decision by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg that the citys five pension funds with over 600,000 members will treat marriages of same-sex couples performed outside of New York State like any other marriage when administering pension fund benefits. (November 18, 2004) Decision by Rochester Board of Education extending domestic partner benefits to school employees. (October 26, 2004) Decision by New York State Comptroller Alan G. Hevesi that the New York State Retirement System, with its 964,000 members, will treat Canadian marriages of same-sex couples the same as any other marriage for purposes of retirement benefits and obligations. (October 8, 2004) Passage of statewide legislation guaranteeing domestic partners the same access rights as spouses and next-of-kin when taking care of loved ones in hospitals, nursing homes and health care facilities. (August 12, 2004) Passage of the Equal Benefits Bill in New York City requiring city contractors to give domestic partners of employees the same benefits they give to spouses of employees, thereby benefiting tens of thousands of LGBT families. (June 28, 2004) Statements by the cities of Buffalo, Rochester and Ithaca, the town of Brighton and the village of Nyack that marriages of same-sex couples performed elsewhere will be treated as valid within their municipalities. (March - May 2004)
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Passage of a law extending non-discrimination protections to transgender people in the City of Albany. (April 7, 2004) Issuance of an opinion by Attorney General Eliot Spitzer that marriages of same-sex couples performed outside of New York State should be treated as valid in the state. (March 3, 2004) Change in New York State Department of Labor policy providing unemployment benefits to a samesex partner in a committed relationship who voluntarily leaves a job to follow a partner to another locality ensuring that same-sex partners are treated the same as married spouses in similar circumstances. (February 9, 2004)

2003
Adoption of a policy by the Rochester school board protecting students from discrimination based upon gender identity and expression. (December 18, 2003) Passage of a resolution by the New York State Democratic Committee supporting the right of samesex couples to civil marriage and promising to work to defeat any measure in New York State that limits access by same-sex couples to civil marriage. (September 22, 2003) Passage of legislation making New York State colleges and universities safer for all students, including gay and lesbian students, by requiring all institutions to inform every incoming student about hate crimes and the policies in place to prevent hate crimes. (June 19, 2003) Passage of legislation that removes the last vestiges of New York's history of stigmatizing homosexuality by eliminating terms like "sodomy" and "deviate sexual intercourse" that are used in the state's penal code to describe forms of sexual assault. (June 19, 2003) Passage of a bill extending membership in state-chartered credit unions to same-sex domestic partners of credit union members. (June 20, 2003)

2002
Passage of the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act (SONDA) in New York State, which outlaws anti-gay discrimination in housing, employment, public accommodation, education and credit throughout the state. After a 31-year battle, New York State became the 13th state, the second largest after California, to enact protections against discrimination for gay men and lesbian women. (December 17, 2002) Inclusion of questions on bias harassment and bullying in the annual Youth Risk Behavior Survey administered to students across New York State. This commitment is obtained from the State Education Department after almost four years of efforts to get the agency to collect data specifically on anti-gay harassment in schools. (November 26, 2002) Extension of state Crime Victims Board benefits to same-sex domestic partners of all homicide victims on a permanent basis. Governor Pataki through an Executive order first provided these benefits to surviving partners of 9/11 gay victims on October 11, 2002. (October 17, 2002) Approval of a domestic partner registry in Westchester County by the county legislature. (September 23, 2002) Extension of American Red Cross's 9/11 same-sex domestic partner guidelines to all chapters across the country on a permanent basis. With this action, the Red Cross becomes the first national relief agency to provide detailed policies and procedures on how to respect and verify same-sex relationships for purposes of determining eligibility for disaster assistance. (August 24, 2002) Passage of a bill granting same-sex domestic partners of 9/11 victims the same workers compensation
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death benefits provided to spouses under New York State law. (June 25, 2002) Passage of a bill making same-sex domestic partners of 9/11 victims and their children eligible for New York State's World Trade Center memorial scholarship program. (June 2002) Passage of "The September 11th Victims and Families Relief Act" in New York State, which includes language in the legislative intent section of the bill specifying that it is the legislature's desire that domestic partners be eligible for federal fund awards. This provision is included to provide Special Master Kenneth Feinberg an additional basis in state law to award federal fund compensation to same-sex partners of 9/11 victims. (May 6, 2002) Passage of a bill extending non-discrimination protections to transgender people in New York City, making the City the 42nd and the most populous jurisdiction in the country to provide basic protections to transgender people in employment, housing, public accommodation and other areas of everyday life. (April 24, 2002) Revision of the Hate Crimes Incident Report form to include a reporting category for "Anti-Gender Identity Expression," thereby providing explicit recognition that transgender people are covered under New York's hate crimes law. This form issued by the state Division of Criminal Justice Services is used by local law enforcement agencies to report hate crimes and provides the basis for tabulating statewide data on hate crimes. (January 2002) $3.778 million in funds from the 2002- 2003 state budget by the Pride Agenda for LGBT health and human services, marking the first time this program was included in the governor's Executive Budget.

2001
Establishment of the "September 11th Gay and Lesbian Family Fund" to provide relief assistance to gay and lesbian survivors denied access to bedrock government programs afforded to opposite-sex spouses. The fund raises over $380,000 and distributed $17,350 to each of the 21 same-sex surviving partners. (December 13, 2001) Change in official policy by the American Red Cross, ensuring fair treatment for gay and lesbian families suffering from the loss of a loved one on 9/11, which included guidelines and procedures on how to treat same-sex relationships when determining eligibility for 9/11 disaster assistance. (December 4, 2001) Passage of a bill extending medical coverage to gay and lesbian partners of county employees in Albany County. (December 3, 2001) Executive order by Governor Pataki granting surviving partners of gay victims of the 9/11 attacks equal benefits as spouses from the state's Crime Victims Board, marking the first official step taken by any level of government in the nation to address the inequities faced by gay and lesbian survivors of the terrorist attacks in obtaining assistance. (October 11, 2001) Passage of a law that significantly strengthens existing anti-discrimination protections for gay men and lesbians in Suffolk County. This adds enforcement mechanisms to the existing law, which had none previously, and extends protections to transgender people for the first time. (August 28, 2001) Release of a Hate Crimes Manual by Attorney General Spitzer to all of New York's District Attorneys for use as an orientation and resource guide. The manual highlights concerns specific to the gay and lesbian community in terms of recognizing and prosecuting a hate crime. It also includes the AG's opinion that under the new law the category "gender" provides protections for transgender people. (July 2001) Adoption of rules by the State Department of Education requiring every public school district in the state to document and report acts of bias-related bullying and intimidation. (July 4, 2001) Passage of a law extending nondiscrimination protections to gay men, lesbians and transgender people in the City of Rochester. (May 16, 2001) Extension of domestic partnership benefits to New York State Senate employees. (January 19, 2001)
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2000
Passage of a law providing anti-discrimination protections for gay men and lesbians in Nassau County. (December 11, 2000) Passage of a hate crimes law in New York State that imposes stiff penalties for hate-motivated crimes, including crimes motivated by anti-gay hate. After an 11-year battle to pass the legislation, the hate crimes law is the first-ever state law to specifically mention the words "sexual orientation. (June 23, 2000) Repeal of the consensual sodomy statute in New York State, and a legislative commitment to eliminate the terms "sodomy" and "deviate sexual intercourse" from the state's criminal laws. (June 22, 2000) Passage of a hate crimes law in Ithaca that includes bias crimes based on "gender identity and presentation." This is the first law in the state to specifically include transgender people. (June 8, 2000) Adoption of a policy to prohibit discrimination based upon sexual orientation and a safe schools policy that includes teaching respect for diversity by the Buffalo Board of Education. (January 27, 2000)

1999
Passage of a tough human rights law in Westchester County protecting lesbians and gay men from discrimination. (December 13, 1999) Historic call for passage of a hate crimes law by Governor Pataki in his annual State-of-the-State address before a joint session of the Legislature. Election of Christine Quinn to New York City Council in the 3rd Council District in a special election race, backed by the Pride Agenda PAC.

1998
$1 million in state funds from the 1998 - 1999 state budget secured for LGBT health and human services programs beyond HIV/AIDS, representing the first year of funding for a network of what is now over 50 LGBT health and human service groups across the state that provide essential services for LGBT youth, seniors and people of color. These dollars were awarded through a Request For Proposal (RFP) process, which was the first RFP in the history of the state directed for this purpose. Passage of a comprehensive domestic partnership law in New York City. This ends a 10-year struggle to achieve equal recognition of couples in domestic partner relationships. It set a new national benchmark by covering all areas under city jurisdiction, extending to registered domestic partners equal access to services and responsibilities extended to spouses. Before, most other cities addressed domestic partnership only in the context of municipal employee benefits. (July 7, 1998) Election of Tom Duane to State Senate with the support and endorsement of the Pride Agenda PAC. Duane becomes the first openly gay and HIV-positive New York State Senator and a strong advocate for hate crimes legislation that, like SONDA, had been bottled up in the State Senate for years.

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1997
Preservation of rent succession rights for same-sex domestic partners in the state's rent regulation law. (June 11, 1997)

1996
Largest ever number of gay and lesbian delegates sent to the New York Democratic Party Delegation with the help of the Pride Agenda.

1995
Governor George Pataki re-issues Governor Mario Cuomo's executive order banning workplace discrimination for state public employees on the basis of sexual orientation. Founding of the Empire State Pride Agenda Foundation, a 501(c)(3) incorporated organizationr to expand upon the community development and public education part of our mission.

1994
Founding of the New York State LGBT Health and Human Services Network (the Network), in response to LGBT service providers across the state being disconnected from one another, ensuring a true statewide impact and infrastructure to want to exchange best practices. Passage of the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act (SONDA) by the New York State Assembly for a second time.

1993
Passage of the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act (SONDA), a bill to ban discrimination against lesbian and gay New Yorkers, by the New York State Assembly for the first time, with Assemblymember Glick and the Pride Agenda playing key roles in the victory.

1991
Election of Tom Duane, an openly gay man, to the New York City Council, representing District 3.

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1990
Founding of the Empire State Pride Agenda (Pride Agenda) when the Albany-based New York State Gay and Lesbian Lobby and the New York City-based Friends and Advocates for Individual Rights (FAIRPAC) merge. Election of Deborah Glick to the New York State Assembly, becoming New York State's first openly lesbian member of the State Legislature, with the newly-formed Pride Agenda working with a group of progressive organizations to help her to victory.

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