New York | September 23, 2021
Why is New York Still Harassing This Christian Adoption Provider?
New York | September 23, 2021
New Hope Family Services in New York is a faith-based adoption provider that places babies with married couples: one man and one woman. But a government agency says they’re discriminating against homosexuals. New Hope believes placing children with married couples is in the best interests of the child and in accordance with its Christian faith and mission.
The New York Division of Human Rights has threatened New Hope, even though two federal courts found the state’s efforts to force New Hope to comply with the agency’s idea of non-discrimination likely violated the provider’s First Amendment rights. The New York legislature never passed a law that forces faith-based adoption providers to change their adoption policies.
In the complaint (PDF), New Hope says it doesn’t reject unmarried or homosexual couples; rather, it “politely and respectfully informs them that because of its beliefs as a Christian ministry, New Hope cannot be the agency to serve them” and provides referrals.
New Hope cited the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia (2021). The city ended a contract with Catholic Social Services because it refused to place children with homosexual couples. The court held that the city’s non-discrimination requirement imposed a burden on CSS’s free exercise of religion and doesn’t qualify as a generally applicable provision… (Excerpt from Black Community News)
New York | August 11, 2021
Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul Begins Transition Following Gov. Cuomo’s Resignation
New York | August 11, 2021
New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul is lining up support among local politicians as she transitions to become New York’s first female governor after Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday he would resign. Ms. Hochul, a Democrat, plans to address the public Wednesday afternoon, her office said.
She accelerated preparations to assume the governorship in recent days after a report by state Attorney General Letitia James found that the Democratic governor broke state and federal sexual-harassment laws. She will take over as governor in approximately two weeks…. (Excerpts from the Wall Street Journal)
New York | June 7, 2021
State Legislative Session Enters Home Stretch
New York | June 7, 2021
At the time of this writing, there are only four scheduled days left in the state legislative session that is scheduled to conclude on June 10, 2021. That makes this final week of the regular session make it or break it for the many of the issues that New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms has been working on for at least the past six months, and in many cases, multiple years.
New York Now reports that the Democratic Supermajorities have a number of issues under consideration, including:
- The Elder Parole Act, which would give inmates an automatic parole hearing if they are over the age of 55 and have served 15 years of their sentence.
- The Fair and Timely Parole Act, which would require parole boards to give more weight to a person’s rehabilitation record in prison than to the crime that they originally committed.
- The “Clean Slate” legislation, which would seal some felony and misdemeanor conviction records for up to 2 million New Yorkers who have completed their prison sentences.
There are also a few gun control measures that appear to be moving, one would permit gun manufacturers to be sued when guns are used to commit a crime…
(Excerpts from New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms)
Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming | May 17, 2021
Enough! State Attorneys General URGE Facebook to Scrap Instagram for Kids
Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming | May 17, 2021
The National Association of Attorneys General had to urge Facebook to drop a potentially “harmful” project targeted at kids. Apparently, Facebook needs to be encouraged to protect children online.
Attorneys general from 44 states and territories sent a letter to Facebook Chief Executive Officer and founder Mark Zuckerberg. The Attorneys General urged Zuckerberg to scrap plans to develop an Instagram platform for children under the age of 13. Facebook is the parent company of Instagram. ..
(Excerpts from MRC News)