STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 569 2023-2024 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY January 9, 2023 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. EPSTEIN -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee 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: 1 Section 1. Section 296 of the executive law is amended by adding a new 2 subdivision 2-b to read as follows: 3 2-b. (a) It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for the 4 owner, lessee, sub-lessee, assignee, or managing agent of publicly-as- 5 sisted housing accommodations or other person having the right of owner- 6 ship or possession of or the right to rent or lease such accommodations 7 to refuse to sell, rent or lease or otherwise to deny to or withhold 8 from any person or group of persons such housing accommodations because 9 of such person's status as a veteran. 10 (b) For the purposes of this subdivision, the term "veteran" means a 11 person, resident of this state, who served in the United States army, 12 navy, air force, space force, marine corps, coast guard, and/or reserves 13 thereof, and/or in the army national guard, air national guard, New York 14 guard and/or New York naval militia, and/or who served as a member of 15 the commissioned corps of the national oceanic and atmospheric adminis- 16 tration or the United States public health service regardless of 17 discharge status. 18 § 2. Subdivision 5 of section 296 of the executive law is amended by 19 adding a new paragraph (h) to read as follows: 20 (h) (1) It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for any person 21 offering or providing housing accommodations, land or commercial space 22 as described in paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of this subdivision to 23 refuse to sell, rent or lease any housing accommodation, land or commer- 24 cial space to any person because of such person's status as a veteran. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD02057-01-3A. 569 2 1 (2) For the purposes of this paragraph, the term "veteran" means a 2 person, resident of this state, who served in the United States army, 3 navy, air force, space force, marine corps, coast guard, and/or reserves 4 thereof, and/or in the army national guard, air national guard, New York 5 guard and/or New York naval militia, and/or who served as a member of 6 the commissioned corps of the national oceanic and atmospheric adminis- 7 tration or the United States public health service regardless of 8 discharge status. 9 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.