NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A8549
SPONSOR: Rosenthal L
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the state technology law, in relation to the use of
gender-neutral terminology on agency websites for certain website
content; and to amend a chapter of the laws of 2023 amending the state
technology law relating to requiring state websites to use gender-neu-
tral terminology, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 208-A and
A. 1371-A, in relation to the effectiveness thereof
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to amend Chapter 140 of the Laws of 2023 in
order to effectuate the intent of the law.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one would amend section 103-b of the State Technology Law, to
clarify the scope of the provision that state agencies shall use
gender-neutral terminology on their websites.
Section two would amend State Technology Law to modify the effective
date of Chapter 140 of the Laws of 2023.
Section three would set forth the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
New York State has made enormous strides in the recent past by legaliz-
ing same-sex marriage, and moving toward broader acceptance of gender
identity and sexual orientation. This rapid evolution in thought and law
is an incredible marker of New York State's values. New York State's
websites and online forms, however, have not kept pace with the change
in current terminology. Some state websites still make reference explic-
itly to "husband" and "wife" when prompting spouses to fill out certain
forms, without leaving options for other relationship compositions.
Chapter 140 of the Laws of 2023 provides for the use of gender-neutral
terminology across all state agency websites. This legislation would add
specificity to the requirement by listing examples of types of website
content that is required to use gender neutral terminology and would
limit the legislation to apply only to content created or modified after
the effective date of the bill.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that the
amendments to section 103-b of the state technology law made by section
one of this act shall take effect on the same date and in the same
manner as a chapter of the laws of 2023 amending the state technology
law relating to requiring state websites to use gender-neutral terminol-
ogy, as proposed in bills S.208-A and A.1371-A, takes effect.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8549
IN ASSEMBLY
January 8, 2024
___________
Introduced by M. of A. L. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the state technology law, in relation to the use of
gender-neutral terminology on agency websites for certain website
content; and to amend a chapter of the laws of 2023 amending the state
technology law relating to requiring state websites to use gender-neu-
tral terminology, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 208-A
and A. 1371-A, in relation to the effectiveness thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 103-b of the state technology law, as added by a
2 chapter of the laws of 2023 amending the state technology law relating
3 to requiring state websites to use gender-neutral terminology, as
4 proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 208-A and A. 1371-A, is amended
5 to read as follows:
6 § 103-b. Gender-neutral terminology; state agencies. Each state agency
7 shall use gender-neutral terminology on their websites for website
8 content, including but not limited to forms accessible through the
9 website, that is created by or on behalf of such agency, or is within
10 their control to modify, provided that such content is created or modi-
11 fied, including without limitation by the addition of content, after the
12 effective date of this section; provided further, however, if such
13 language is in reference to a specific person, or a specific group of
14 people, the language referring to such person or group may be gendered
15 in accordance with the gender identity of such person or group of
16 people.
17 § 2. Section 3 of a chapter of the laws of 2023 amending the state
18 technology law relating to requiring state websites to use gender-neu-
19 tral terminology, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 208-A and
20 A. 1371-A, is amended to read as follows:
21 § 3. This act shall take effect [immediately] on the one hundred
22 eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
23 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
24 the amendments to section 103-b of the state technology law made by
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00976-04-4
A. 8549 2
1 section one of this act shall take effect on the same date and in the
2 same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2023 amending the state technol-
3 ogy law relating to requiring state websites to use gender-neutral
4 terminology, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 208-A and A.
5 1371-A, takes effect.