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Mayor Miner and Local Supporters Rally Behind Governor's Women's Equality Acts

Max Brady, WAER News

Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner is joining forces with local Women’s Rights and Health supporters to call on the State Legislature to pass the Women’s Equality Act.  The Mayor gathered with advocates today at the Harriett-May-Mills House in Syracuse to help push the bill along before the legislative session ends.  

“So we stand here to say that we want to achieve pay equity, for women who are currently working, for women that will be working in the future," said Miner.  We want to protect reproductive health and choice; we want to stop sexual harassment in all work places”.

Governor Cuomo’s ten point plan would also end housing discrimination against victims of domestic violence.  The agenda was kind of a surprise, says Betty DeFazio, Planned Parenthoodof Syracuse Director of Community Affairs.

“We didn’t know what he was going to be put on the agenda and I think I mentioned in my remarks today poll after poll after poll has shown New Yorkers across all kinds demographic characteristics support this legislation," DeFazio said.

Her group plans to send more than 430 postcards to all state senators, with the majority going to Senator Dave Valesky, who could have some influence as a member of the independent democratic caucus, DeFazio says.

If passed, the women's equality act will:

1. Achieve Pay Equity
2. Stop Sexual Harassment in All Workplaces
3. Remove Barriers to Remedying Discrimination
4. End Family Status Discrimination
5. Stop Housing Discrimination for Victims of Domestic Violence.
6. Stop Source-of-Income Discrimination
7. Protect Victims of Domestic Violence by Strengthening Order-of-Protection Laws
8. Strengthen Human Trafficking Laws
9. Stop Pregnancy Discrimination Once and For All
10. Protect a Woman’s Freedom of Choice

John Smith has been waking up WAER listeners for a long time as our Local Co-Host of Morning Edition with timely news and information, working alongside student Sportscasters from the Newhouse School.