January 27, 2014 - The New York Women's Equality coalition is pleased that our legislature has taken the first step in making the Women's Equality Agenda a reality in New York this year, and we applaud the Assembly Democrats, Speaker Silver, and all those members who voted yes today, for putting women's equality at the top of their 2014 agenda.  Today, the New York State Assembly built on its longstanding commitment to New York's women and girls by passing the full Women's Equality Agenda, first introduced by Governor Andrew Cuomo.  By moving swiftly to prioritize the package of legislation, which was proposed last year and did not become law, the Assembly has made it crystal clear that women's lives are a priority.  Strong majorities of New York voters agree: eighty-nine percent think equal pay for women should be a high priority and 80 percent support updating New York's abortion law. Despite this overwhelming public support, the State Senate failed to vote on the full Women's Equality Agenda last year.  

The New York Women's Equality Coalition will continue to advocate until every single measure becomes the law of our state: equal pay, access to reproductive health, and freedom from discrimination and violence are all essential to women's equality. We cannot let politics stand in the way of women's lives.  The ten million women of New York and their families deserve immediate action to see this legislation enacted this year.