Relates to establishing status as a New York state citizen or possession of a federal immigration card shall constitute no cause for refusing any person examination admission to practice law.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A1403
SPONSOR: Simon (MS)
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the judiciary law, in relation to establishing status as
a New York state citizen or possession of a federal immigration card
shall constitute no cause for refusing any person examination or admis-
sion to practice law
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
to amend the judiciary law, in relation to establishing status as a New
York State citizen or possession of a federal immigration card shall
constitute no cause for refusing any person examination or admission to
practice law.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Section 460 of the judiciary law, as amended by chapter 226
of the laws of 1985, is amended to read as follows:
§ 460. Examination and admission of attorneys. An applicant for admis-
sion to practice as an attorney or counsellor in this state, must be
examined and licensed to practice as prescribed by this chapter and in
the rules of the court of appeals. Race, creed, color, national origin,
alienage, status as a New York State citizen or federal immigration card
holder, or sex shall constitute no cause for refusing any person exam-
ination or admission to practice.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Equal access to higher education and job opportunities is of critical
importance to all New Yorkers. Empowering immigrants who have fulfilled
the educational requirements, and have attained certification by the
committee on character and fitness, should not be denied the right to
practice law solely on the basis of his or her immigration status.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
None
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
this act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1403
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 15, 2019
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SIMON, BICHOTTE, BLAKE, GOTTFRIED, D'URSO --
Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK, CRESPO, HYNDMAN -- read once and
referred to the Committee on Judiciary
AN ACT to amend the judiciary law, in relation to establishing status as
a New York state citizen or possession of a federal immigration card
shall constitute no cause for refusing any person examination or
admission to practice law
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 460 of the judiciary law, as amended by chapter 226
2 of the laws of 1985, is amended to read as follows:
3 § 460. Examination and admission of attorneys. An applicant for admis-
4 sion to practice as an attorney or counsellor in this state, must be
5 examined and licensed to practice as prescribed in this chapter and in
6 the rules of the court of appeals. Race, creed, color, national origin,
7 alienage, status as a New York state citizen or federal immigration card
8 holder, or sex shall constitute no cause for refusing any person exam-
9 ination or admission to practice.
10 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01686-01-9