Add §§99-x & 209-gg, Gen Muni L; add §1527-a, Ed L
Prohibits the selling or displaying of symbols of hate by municipalities, fire districts, volunteer fire companies, police departments and school districts.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A5402A
SPONSOR: Solages TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the general municipal law and the education law, in
relation to prohibiting the selling or displaying of symbols of hate
PURPOSE:
This legislation would prohibit a municipal corporation from the selling
or displaying any symbol of hate.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends the general municipal law to prohibit a municipal
corporation from selling or displaying any symbols of hate or any simi-
lar image, or tangible personal property inscribed with such image
unless the image is in a book, digital medium, museum, or otherwise
serves an educational or historical purpose. This section also defines
symbols of hate as symbols of white supremacy, neo-Nazi ideology, or the
Battle Flag of the Confederacy.
Section 2 amends a different section of general municipal law to prohib-
it a fire district, volunteer fire company, or police department from
selling or displaying any symbols of hate or any similar image, or
tangible personal property inscribed with such image unless the image is
in a book, digital medium, museum, or otherwise serves an educational or
historical purpose. This section also defines symbols of hate as symbols
of white supremacy, neo-Nazi ideology, or the Battle Flag of the Confed-
eracy.
Section 3 amends the education law to prohibit a school district from
selling or displaying any symbols of hate or any similar image, or
tangible personal property inscribed with such image unless the image is
in a book, digital medium, museum, or otherwise serves an educational or
historical purpose. This section also defines symbols of hate as symbols
of white supremacy, neo-Nazi ideology, or the Battle Flag of the Confed-
eracy.
Section 4 is the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
This legislation which is patterned after groundbreaking legislation
that was signed into law in 2020 would extend prohibitions on the
display and sale of symbols of hate. Hate has no place in New York.
Hate especially has no place on display by our municipal governments,
our volunteer fire companies, fire districts or police departments.
This legislation takes the next steps towards eradicating the govern-
mental public display of symbols of hate.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
