New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared racism a public health crisis earlier this month when she signed a series of bills to combat anti-Asian hate and other forms of racism, reports ABC News.
‘For far too long, communities of color in New York have been held back by systemic racism and inequitable treatment,’ Hochul said in a statement, according to the Daily Mail.
The statement continued: ‘I am proud to sign legislation that addresses this crisis head-on, addressing racism, expanding equity, and improving access for all.’
Hochul signed S.2987-A/A.5679 declaring racism a public health crisis and setting up a working group to advance racial justice.
She also advanced into law a bill that would require the state to break down information about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders into specific subgroups.
Other bills review the definition of hate crimes and the way law enforcement collects information about the victims of such crimes, reports Bloomberg.
The package of bills also asks the state technology department to assist in the language translation of services.
“This legislation improves equity of access to crucial government services by implementing language accessibility in our government and helps build a New York that works for all of us, regardless of the language we speak,” said Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou (D-NY).
AsAmNews has Asian America in its heart. We’re an all-volunteer effort of dedicated staff and interns. Check out our new Instagram account. Go to our Twitter feed and Facebook page for more content. Please consider interning, joining our staff, or submitting a story, or making a contribution.
