On January 25, 2019, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA).

As we previously reported, GENDA amends the New York State Human Rights Law to expressly prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression. The Act also expands New York’s hate crime laws to include crimes against transgender and gender non-conforming people.

The new law will take effect on February 24, 2019, with the exception of certain provisions relating to the hate crime laws which will take effect on November 1, 2019.

New York has joined 19 other states and the District of Columbia in prohibiting discrimination on the basis of gender identity, including the status of being transgender.