Section 1. 
Legislative intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that prejudice, intolerance, bigotry and discrimination threaten the rights of the inhabitants of Suffolk County, endanger the institutions of freedom, and threaten the peace, order, health, safety, and general welfare of the County of Suffolk.
This Legislature further finds and determines that local enforcement of discriminatory practices through the adoption of an amendment to the County Human Rights Law will greatly promote the protection of the public welfare, health and peace of the people of this County.
Therefore, the purpose of this article is to exercise the County's police power for the protection of the public welfare, health and peace of the people of this County to ensure that prejudice, intolerance, bigotry and discrimination will not threaten the rights of its inhabitants in securing public accommodations, employment, or housing.
Section 1. 
Legislative intent.
The Suffolk County Legislature hereby finds and determines that in the County of Suffolk, with its diverse population, there is no greater danger to the health, morals, safety, and welfare of the County and its inhabitants than the existence of groups and individuals reflecting prejudice against one another and antagonism to each other because of actual or perceived differences of race, creed, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status, marital status, sexual orientation, age, gender, or national origin. Many persons have been compelled to live under substandard, unhealthful, unsanitary, and crowded living conditions because of discrimination and segregation in housing.
The Legislature also finds that housing segregation creates economic instability by limiting individuals' access to quality education, health care and job opportunities for professionals and skilled workers, which manifests into unequal wealth accumulation. These factors create pockets of poverty, and limit the financial resources available to those neighborhoods. As businesses relocate to other communities, the neighborhoods left behind lose a sustainable tax base, to the social and economic detriment of the entire County.
The Legislature further finds and declares that acts of prejudice, intolerance, bigotry, and discrimination which deny a person the opportunity to sell, purchase or lease, rent, or obtain financing for the purchase or lease of housing accommodations because of actual or perceived race, creed, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status, marital status, sexual orientation, age, gender, or national origin threaten the fundamental rights and privileges of the inhabitants of the County of Suffolk and undermine the foundations of a free democratic state and the economic stability of the region.
The Legislature further declares it to be the public policy of the County of Suffolk to eliminate and prevent discrimination and segregation based on actual or perceived race, creed, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status, marital status, sexual orientation, age, gender, or national origin and to safeguard the right of every person to sell, purchase, lease, rent, or obtain financing for the purchase or lease of housing accommodations without regard to actual or perceived race, creed, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status, marital status, sexual orientation, ape, gender, or national origin.
The Legislature also finds that housing segregation creates economic instability by limiting access to quality education, health care and job opportunities for professionals and skilled workers. It creates pockets of poverty and increases the cost of housing in all neighborhoods. It limits the availability of housing for enterprises whose workforces reflect the efficiencies of diversity, and this limitation reduces the County's capacity for economic development, to the social and economic detriment of the entire County.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to address and eliminate such discriminatory practices and obtain certification by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development that this law is substantially equivalent to the federal Fair Housing Act, so that the County can be eligible for federal and state funding for enforcement and administration of this law.
Section 4. 
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all complaints filed with the Commission on or after the effective date of this law.
Section 1. 
Legislative intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that Local Law No. 1-2000 was enacted to impose civil penalties against persons who commit acts of bias based on an individual's race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, ancestry, sexual orientation, disability, handicap or health-related condition that are committed in Suffolk County.
This Legislature also finds and determines that the purpose of this law was to deter the commission of acts of bias and protect the public health and safety of the residents of Suffolk County.
This Legislature further finds that recent events in Suffolk County, brought to light by the tragic murder of Marcelo Lucero, have shown that the acts of bias that Local Law No. 1-2000 sought to eradicate are still occurring and with alarming consequences.
This Legislature also determines that the Suffolk County Police Department is currently investigating 13 bias-related crimes that have been brought to its attention in recent months.
This Legislature finds that the civil penalties established in Local Law No. 1-2000 are insufficient to provide the deterrent effect sought by the enactment of this law.
This Legislature determines that increasing the civil penalties that can be levied for committing acts of bias will send a clear, strong message that such hateful and outrageous behavior will not be tolerated in Suffolk County.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to amend Local Law No. 1-2000 to increase the civil penalties for the intentional commission of acts of bias in Suffolk County.
Section 3. 
Applicability. This law shall apply to all acts occurring on or after the effective date of this law.
Section 1. 
Legislative intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that bias-related incidents based on the race, color, nationality, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, age, disability and sexual orientation continue to exist in Suffolk County.
This Legislature also finds and determines that Local Law No. 1-2000, codified as Article III of Chapter 89 (now Article I of Chapter 528) of the Suffolk County Code, established a prohibition on bias acts and imposed civil penalties on individuals who committed acts of vandalism, property damage or threats based on such biases.
This Legislature further finds and determines that, since the implementation of Local Law No. 1-2000, Suffolk County has seen an increase in the number of bias-related violent acts against individuals.
This Legislature finds that these acts are just as unacceptable, if not more so, as the acts already subject to civil penalties under the Code.
This Legislature determines that bias-related violent acts should be added to Chapter 89 (now Chapter 528) of the Suffolk County Code as acts subject to civil sanctions.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to amend Chapter 89 (now Chapter 528) of the Suffolk County Code to include bias-related violent acts as being subject to civil penalties.
Section 3. 
Penalty civil in nature.
Any penalty assessed against a person pursuant to this law shall be civil, remedial and in personam in nature and shall not be deemed to be a criminal penalty or criminal forfeiture for any purpose.
Section 4. 
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all actions occurring on or after the effective date of this law.
Section 1. 
Legislative Intent.
The Suffolk County Legislature hereby finds and determines that in the County of Suffolk, with its diverse population, there is no greater danger to the health, safety, and welfare of the County and its inhabitants than the existence of groups and individuals reflecting prejudice and antagonism toward each other because of actual or perceived differences.
The Legislature also finds that prejudice and discrimination creates economic instability by limiting individuals' access to quality education, health care, housing and job opportunities.
The Legislature further finds and declares that acts of prejudice, intolerance, bigotry, and discrimination deny opportunities to persons, threaten the fundamental rights and privileges of the inhabitants of the County of Suffolk and undermine the foundations of a free democratic state and the economic stability of the region.
The Legislature further declares it to be the public policy of the County of Suffolk to eliminate and prevent discrimination and to safeguard the right of every person to live and work in Suffolk County without regard to actual or perceived race, color, creed, gender, alienage or citizenship status, disability, familial status, marital status, military status, sexual orientation, age, national origin, income source or status as a victim of domestic violence.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to update the Suffolk County Human Rights Law to include a comprehensive administrative process, to incorporate changes adopted by the State, to reorganize the Suffolk County law in an effort to make it more user-friendly, to ensure that prejudice, intolerance, bigotry and discrimination will not threaten the rights of Suffolk County inhabitants and to promote the principles of equality and inclusion.
Section 3. 
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all complaints filed with the Commission or by the Commission on or after the effective date of this law.
Section 6. 
Effective Date.
This law shall take effect on the 90th day immediately subsequent to filling in the Office of the Secretary of State.
Section 1. 
Legislative Intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that Resolution No. 683-2014, updates and broadens the County's existing human rights law.
This Legislature finds that, while Resolution No. 683-2014 extends protections to individuals based upon their military status, it leaves the status of veterans and their families unclear.
This Legislature determines that veterans served our country with dignity and deserve the gratitude and respect of all citizens.
This Legislature also finds that, unfortunately, some individuals discriminate against veterans in housing and employment opportunities.
This Legislature further finds that Suffolk County should make clear that veterans are protected from such discriminatory behavior.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to amend Resolution No. 683-2014 to expressly include veterans as a protected class of individuals.
Section 3. 
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all actions occurring on or after the effective date of this law.
Section 1. 
Legislative Intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that Resolution No. 683-2014 updated and broadened the County's existing human rights law.
This Legislature also finds and determines that, while Resolution No. 683-2014 extends protections against employment discrimination to individuals based on their status as victims of domestic violence, it does not protect domestic violence victims from housing discrimination.
This Legislature further finds that victims of domestic violence often face substantial obstacles when they seek housing when leaving an abusive relationship; it is not unusual for a domestic violence victim to be cut off from their support network of family and friends and to be economically dependent on their abuser. These persons should not be subject to the additional hardship of discrimination when they seek housing for themselves and their families.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to amend Resolution No. 683-2014 to prohibit housing discrimination against persons based on their status as victims of domestic violence.
Section 3. 
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all actions occurring on or after the effective date of this law.
Section 1. 
Legislative Intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that under the current law, the administrative hearings held pursuant to Chapter 528 of the Suffolk County Code before the Suffolk County Human Rights Commission ("the Commission") on complaints of discrimination are governed by the strict rules of evidence applicable in the Supreme Court of the State of New York.
This Legislature also finds that easing the admission and use of relevant evidence from the type of restrictions applied in court to the more relaxed standard commonly applied at administrative hearings will facilitate the inquiry into whether an unlawful discriminatory practice occurred.
This Legislature further finds that the Rules of Procedure adopted by the Commission do not require the use of the restrictive technical rules of evidence at its hearings for the admissibility of evidence.
The Legislature further determines that the provision in the Suffolk County Code governing the admissibility of evidence at hearings before the Commission should be consistent with the Commission's Rules of Procedure.
The Legislature also determines that the Rules of Practice of the New York State Division of Human Rights do not require the compliance with the technical rules of evidence, including hearsay rules, at the hearings before the Division of Human Rights.
Therefore, the purpose of this local law is to amend Chapter 528 of the Suffolk County Code to change the standard for admission of evidence at administrative hearings on complaints of discrimination.
Section 3. 
Applicability.
This law shall apply to hearings initiated on or after the effective date of this law.
Section 1. 
Legislative Intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that despite state and federal laws prohibiting gender-based pay discrimination, women and racial and ethnic minority workers have historically encountered lower wages and salaries causing a wage gap that pervades all industries.
This Legislature further finds and determines that a report issued in April 2018 by the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) found that women in Suffolk County earn 78.1% of what their male counterparts earn, compared to the State-wide percentage of 86.8%.
This Legislature further finds that there are significant disparities across racial and ethnic groups; with the same April 2018 NYSDOL study revealing that women of color in New York are faring worse than women of other identities with African American or Black women earning 64.4% and Latino or Hispanic women earning 55.3% of what men earn.
This Legislature further finds that a 2016 analysis commissioned by the New York Women's Foundation in partnership with the Institute for Women's Policy Research found that if New York's women were paid the same as comparable men, each would earn $6,600 more per year, an earnings increase that would add $29.6 billion to the state economy. If New York's working women were paid the same as their male peers-men who are of the same age, have the same level of education, work the same number of hours, and have the same urban/rural status - it would reduce the poverty rate for the state's women and their families by more than half, from 7.5% to 3.6%.
This Legislature further finds that because women and racial and ethnic minorities are statistically proven to be paid lower wages across all positions and industries and unlikely to be successful in negotiating for salary, they can be negatively impacted by employers who rely on salary and wage history when making an employment offer.
This Legislature further finds that restricting access to a prospective employee's salary history will help break the cycle of wage discrimination and close the wage gap, because salary history is often used as a tool for setting wages, and thus can perpetuate the inequitable pay scale that women and people of color face with each successive job.
This Legislature further finds that individuals who leave the workforce for extended periods of time (ie: to care for a child or sick or elderly relative), can be at a disadvantage upon return when prospective employers inquire about salary history and which inquiries can unfairly anchor the applicant to an outdated salary that is no longer industry standard.
This Legislature further finds that experienced workers who leave or lose high-paying positions often have trouble securing interviews with employers who, in relying on salary history, believe they cannot afford the applicant's previous salary, even if the applicant is willing to accept less pay for the new position.
Therefore, the purpose of this local law is to prohibit employers from inquiring about and relying on prior or current salary information when setting compensation for new employees.
Section 3. 
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all actions occurring on or after the effective date of this law.
Section 6. 
Effective Date.
This law shall take effect within 120 days upon its filing in the Office of the Secretary of State and not before June 30, 2019.
Section 1. 
Legislative Intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that the County of Suffolk is committed to protecting the rights of all its residents and assisting in the rehabilitation of people with criminal records.
This Legislature also finds and determines that the County's human rights law prohibits employment discrimination based on an individual's prior involvement in criminal proceedings. Current law protects employers from actions in negligent hiring if they follow the safeguards in place under current law.
This Legislature also finds that removing the conviction history "check box" from applications is a proven method of increasing employment opportunities for individuals with criminal convictions; instead of having their application discarded on the basis of one answer, applicants are able to obtain interviews regardless of their conviction status. This also aids in reducing the stigma and bias associated with individuals with a criminal background, and works towards ending structural discrimination.
This Legislature also determines that Suffolk County should join the growing number of governments that prohibit conviction history check boxes on employment applications to increase employment opportunities for all County residents.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to amend Chapter 528 of the Suffolk County Code to prohibit inquiry into criminal arrests (already prohibited) or convictions on employment applications.
Section 3. 
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all actions occurring on or after the effective date of this law.
Section 6. 
Effective Date.
This law shall take effect 120 days after it filing in the Office of the Secretary of State.
Section 1. 
Legislative Intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that Suffolk County is dedicated to protecting the rights of its residents and eliminating discrimination and bias in the workplace.
This Legislature also finds and determines that existing laws in Suffolk County provide that it is unlawful to discriminate based on a person's group identity, which includes the actual or perceived race, color, creed, age, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, or familial status of any individual, as well as the actual military status of any individual.
This Legislature further finds and determines that the history of our nation is riddled with laws and societal norms that subject those with certain physical attributes, such as protective hairstyles and religious garments, to separate and unequal treatment in professional settings.
This Legislature finds that despite the great strides American society and laws have made to reverse racist ideologies and religious discrimination, protective hairstyles, braids, and religious garments continue to be a source of prejudice that have serious economic consequences for individuals in Suffolk County.
This Legislature determines that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers with at least 15 employees from discriminating based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, and therefore should protect against discrimination based on one's natural hair texture or decision to wear protective hairstyles or religious garments.
This Legislature also finds that federal courts have held in multiple cases that it is unlawful to discriminate based on an individual's natural hair styling. However, the courts do not take into consideration that natural hair styles come in several different forms such as braids and other protective hairstyles.
This Legislature further finds that Suffolk County should protect residents with protective hairstyles, braids, and religious garments from being unfairly discriminated against because of these visible traits.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to amend Chapter 528 of the Suffolk County Code to include protective hairstyles, hair textures, and religious garments as components of group identity under the County Human Rights Law.
Section 3. 
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all actions occurring on or after the effective date of this law.
Section 1. 
Legislative Intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that Suffolk County is dedicated to protecting the safety of all residents.
This Legislature also finds and determines that a problem exists where individuals are falsely reporting crimes to law enforcement agencies when, in fact, no crime is being committed and the call was made solely based on that individual's personal bias against another's actual or perceived membership in a protected class. These false allegations are a drain on law enforcement resources that could otherwise be utilized for legitimate emergencies.
This Legislature further finds and determines that when individuals engage in the practice of falsely calling the police based on animosity or antipathy towards certain groups, it diverts resources that are needed elsewhere in the community and puts the individuals being falsely reported about at risk of being in a potentially dangerous encounter with law enforcement.
This Legislature further determines that law enforcement agencies should not be weaponized by individuals who choose to make an emergency call and falsely report crimes because of their own personal biases.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to amend Chapter 528 of the Suffolk County Code to prohibit individuals from making false criminal allegations to a law enforcement agency due to their own animosity, antipathy or bias.
Section 3. 
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all actions occurring on or after the effective date of this law.
Section 1. 
Legislative intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that there has been a rise in bias incidents against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders throughout the country.
This Legislature also finds and determines that many of these bias incidents involve brutal acts of violence against Asian American and Pacific Islanders.
This Legislature further finds and determines that a significant number of these incidents arise from the incorrect and unfounded belief that certain ethnic groups have contributed to the spread of COVID-19.
This Legislature finds that Suffolk County is determined to protect the interests and well-being of all residents.
This Legislature determines that in order to protect the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in Suffolk County, bias incidents related to COVID-19 discrimination should be prohibited.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to amend the County Human Rights Law to prohibit COVID-19 related discrimination and provide Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with recourse for COVID-19 related bias incidents.
Section 3. 
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all actions occurring on or after the effective date of this law.
Section 1. 
Legislative intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that individuals receiving public assistance should not be put at a disadvantage in credit transactions and that individuals with an alternative lawful source of income such as Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Homeownership Program, Social Security Disability Insurance, and Worker's Compensation, have the right to include their income as part of the overall income calculation when purchasing a home or refinancing their home, without experiencing source of income discrimination from creditors.
This Legislature also finds that the federal Equal Credit Opportunity Act and its implementing regulations, 15 U.S.C. § 1691(a)(2) and 12 CFR 1002.2(z), and 12 CFR 1002.4(a) prohibit creditors from discriminating in any aspect of a credit transaction against an applicant because all or part of the applicant's income derives from any public assistance program, such as the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Homeownership Program.
This Legislature further finds that Long Island Housing Services, Inc. has provided fair housing testing services to the County pursuant to a contract, and has, based on the analysis of the testing results, recommended that the County's Human Rights Law be amended to prohibit source of income discrimination in lending.
The Legislature further determines that extending the protections of the County's Human Rights Law to individuals applying for credit and who are recipients of income derived from Social Security, or any form of public assistance, serves an important public interest, which is to protect such individuals from discrimination and ensure fair lending practices.
The Legislature additionally determines that creditors should not exclude or refuse to consider income derived from any form of federal, state or local public assistance during the mortgage loan application and the underwriting processes.
Therefore, the purpose of this local law is to amend Chapter 528 of the Suffolk County Code to prohibit source of income discrimination in credit transactions.
Section 3. 
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all actions occurring on or after the effective date of this law.