Griffo bill would offer additional protections against anti-Semitic acts in New York State

State Senator and Deputy Minority Leader Joe Griffo, R-I-C-Rome, is advocating for legislation he introduced this past spring that would provide more protections against anti-Semitism in New York State.

This announcement comes from the wake of a recent stabbing in Rockland County, which occurred at the home of a rabbi during a Hanukkah celebration.

Both state and federal law already prohibits any discrimination against anyone of a religious group, however; Griffo says people of the Jewish faith and those of other religions continue to face intimidation, harassment and attacks.

Griffo says this measure aims to address the problem by amending the state human rights law and the penal law to properly provide protections through the appropriate codification of the definition of anti-Semitism. Further, acts of anti-Semitism that incite, cause or result in any act of violence or injury to a person, or the damage to or destruction of real or personal property will be considered a hate crime.

“Those who commit anti-Semitic acts must be held accountable for their actions,” the Senator said.

The bill was introduced at the beginning of the 2019 legislative session. The next legislative session in Albany begins next week.