Bodily Autonomy & Reproductive Justice Committee

It is everyone's fundamental right to have autonomy over their own bodies. Historically, Transgender, Gender Non-Conforming, Non-binary, & Intersex individuals are often left out of the conversation about these issues. This committee fights for bodily autonomy and reproductive justice for everyone.

Condoms Not as Evidence A178 (Cruz) 

This bill provides that possession of a condom or other reproductive or sexual health device may not be received in evidence in any trial, hearing or proceeding as evidence of conduct which would constitute an offense defined in article 230 of the penal law.

Preventing sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy are important public health goals for everyone, including LGBTQ+ people and those who engage in sex work. Sex workers should be able to use sexual health devices free of fear of arrest to protect their own health and wellbeing. Unfortunately, sex workers are often forced to choose between protecting themselves or risking arrest. The protections proposed in this bill will ensure that sex workers can carry condoms and other reproductive or sexual health devices without fear that those devices will be used as evidence against them. This legislation is intended to protect the health of vulnerable New Yorkers, while preserving the ability of law enforcement to prosecute sex offenses. 

Privacy Amendment S8603 (Ramos) / A9377 (Shimsky)

This bill will amend the Constitution by adding a right to privacy.With several Supreme Court justices openly questioning existing privacy protections—including the right to contraception, intimate relationships, and other deeply personal decisions—New York cannot rely on federal law alone to safeguard people’s private lives. The New York privacy amendment would strengthen and expand privacy protections at the state level, providing broader and more durable rights than those currently recognized under federal or state law.

The amendment is modeled after constitutional privacy provisions in Washington, Alaska, and Montana, which courts have interpreted to protect personal decision-making, bodily autonomy, gender-affirming health care, and strong limits on government surveillance and data collection. Robust data privacy protections are especially critical for LGBTQ+ New Yorkers, as sensitive information about sexual orientation, gender identity, health care, relationships, or immigration status can expose individuals to discrimination, outing, targeting, or harassment if shared, retained, or misused by government systems.

Disability Justice, Physical & Mental Health Committee

Physical & mental health care providers and institutions continue to leave out the needs of LGBTQI+ people. Disabled queer and trans individuals will be a crucial part of the fight for LGBTQl+ New Yorkers. This committee is focused on ensuring we are thinking about LGBTQ+ in a holistic way. 

Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE) S6901A (Salazar) / A7496 (Gonzalez-Rojas)

This bill will establish the healthy and safe students act; requires comprehensive sexuality instruction for students in grades K-12 which includes a model curricula for comprehensive sexuality education and at a minimum conforms to the content and scope of national sexuality education standards.

CSE is critical for LGBTQI youth.  It helps students understand sexual orientation and gender identity, destigmatizes discussions of sexuality and gender, and promotes respect, understanding, and inclusion. By showing diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and family structures, comprehensive sex ed shows LGBTQI youth that they are not alone and shows their straight, cisgender classmates that they exist.

Racial Justice Committee

The movement for LGBTQl+ rights has historically been excluded from the fight for the rights of the Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) community. This committee focuses on the intersection of race, gender and sexuality. The committee will prioritize programming, advocacy efforts and collaboration with our community partners to amplify the visibility of BIPOC queer and trans individuals. 

Holding Police Accountable by Strengthening the Civilian Complaint Review Board S4354 (Bailey) / A126 (Cruz)

This act will amend the New York city charter, in relation to expanding the investigative scope of the Civilian Complaint Review Board to include allegations of biased-based profiling. 

Members of the LGBTQ+ community, especially those of color, disproportionately experience bias-based policing and police misconduct. The Civilian Complaint Review Board, an agency established in the City Charter is tasked with investigating and reporting police misconduct, but is powerless to do anything about it. 

New York for All Act S2235 (Gounardes) / A3506  (Reyes)

This bill prohibits and regulates the discovery and disclosure of immigration status; prohibits police officers, peace officers, school resource officers, probation agencies, state entities, state employees, and municipal corporations from questioning individuals regarding their citizenship or immigration status; regulates the disclosure of information relating to immigration status.

The New York for All Act will protect immigrants, keep families together, and preserve state and local resources to uphold the state's public safety priorities. New York is the home to tens of thousands of LGBTQ+ immigrants and their families. As ICE continues to target Democratic states we must ensure our most vulnerable LGBTQ+ people are protected.

Transgender, Gender Non-Conforming, Non-Binary, & Intersex Equity Committee

The Transgender, Gender Non-conforming, Non-Binary and Intersex (TGNCNBI) community continues to take a back seat in priority. There has been a historical lack of proportionate funding. The TGNCNB community is suffering an ever deepening economic downturn where perpetual cycles of criminalization, unemployment, mental and physical health disparities, and homelessness are defining this already adversely affected, and often victimized, community. This committee promotes the safety and health of the TGNCNBI community in all of our work.

Gender Identity Respect Dignity and Safety (GIRDS) Act S1049A (Salazar) / A5478A (Gallagher)

This bill relates to the treatment and placement of incarcerated people based upon gender identity. 

The New York State criminal justice system often refuses basic rights to TGNCNB individuals who are incarcerated. Incarcerated TGNCNB people face much higher rates of violence, extortion, discrimination, lost opportunity, access to medications and basic needs. This bill ensures that correctional officers and staff address people by their names and pronouns; guarantees people access to commissary items, clothing, hygiene articles and other materials that are consistent with their gender identities; and establishes a right to be searched by officers of the same gender identity. It will make it unlawful to refuse or remove placement based on gender identity, or for disciplinary reasons, and strictly limit the length of involuntary protective custody. If an incarcerated person has overriding safety concerns, this bill will also enable them to opt-out of being housed consistently with their gender identity.

Youth, Families & Aging Communities Committee

The LGBTQl+ community is an intergenerational one. This committee provides education and programming for all ages. We also center various types of family formations and dynamics, including, but not limited to, co-parenting, aging in place, polyamorous families, and systems involving youth.  

The Freedom to Read Act S1099 (May) / A7777 (Simone)

This bill will prohibit schools and public libraries from banning books based on identity like being LGBTQ+ or their families

Currently, around the country and even here in New York State books are being banned in an attempt to erase specific identities and re-tell history in an inaccurate way. Everyone should have the right to read freely and without judgement. There have been attempts all around New York State to ban specific books and this bill will stop that from being implemented. 

Death Certificate Gender Identity Recognition Act  (Bill being written and introduced in Early 2026) 

The bill will provide guidance and update official New York State Bureau of Vital Records forms to help ensure that TGNCNB people have their gender identity reflected on their death certificates. 

Researchers found that more than half of transgender and non-binary people are misgendered on their death certificates. This bill will require the officials responsible for completing a transgender person's death certificate to record gender identity rather than anatomical sex and follow written instructions from the deceased person confirming their wishes, an updated birth certificate or driver's license, or evidence of medical treatment for gender transition above how the family may identify the deceased. Additionally, adding the option to provide SOGI data for the person who passed away and their surviving spouse on official New York State Bureau of Vital Records forms can ensure that data is part of New York's vital statistics, which can influence the allocation of federal and state resources, for needs like social services and public health programs.