New York City, N.Y., Feb 9, 2018 / 05:00 am
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has signed an executive order that bans the state from doing business with companies that "promote or tolerate" discrimination, a move that has some religious liberty advocates crying foul.
In a press release about the executive order, Cuomo specifically cited the Trump administration's decision to rescind the HHS contraception mandate as one of his concerns. Cuomo said that with the executive order, New York would "further protect New Yorkers' civil rights" and that the state's various agencies will not do business with companies that either promote or tolerate discrimination against the LGBTQ community.
As of May 1, state agencies will be prevented from "entering into contracts with entities that have institutional policies or practices that fail to address the harassment and discrimination of individuals on the basis of their gender identity, transgender status, gender dysphoria or any of the other protected classes[...]."
Further, schools that "refuse to protect transgender students" will not be eligible for state funding.