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History
- Substituted by A7698
- Ordered to third reading cal.891
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Referred to finance
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Requires the elimination of the use of the term "oriental" in documents utilized by state agencies, public authorities and municipalities when referring to persons of Asian or Pacific Islander heritage
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Grace Meng
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to eliminating the use of the term "oriental" in documents utilized by state agencies, public authorities and municipalities when referring to persons of Asian or Pacific Islander heritage
Purpose or general idea of bill
The bill would require the elimination of the word "oriental" under the category of "Race" in all state documents because the word "oriental" is derogatory and offensive.
Summary of specific provisions
The bill amends the executive law by adding a new section 170-b to the executive law. No form or preprinted document utilized by a state agency or public authority or by a municipality shall use the term "oriental" to identify or denote persons of Asian or Pacific Islander heritage.
Justification
There is no meaning or history of the word 'oriental'. It does not describe one's ethnic origin, background, or even skin color. Merriam-Webster's New World College Dictionary says that when used to describe a person, "oriental" is "now often regarded as a term of disparagement.
Washington State Senator Paul Shin sponsored a bill in 200 I that would remove and prohibit the use of the word "oriental" in all state and local legislation. The bill, passed in 2002, stated that the word Asian must be used to describe those of Asian descent. In a July 1, 2002, Seattle Times article, Shin, a Korean War orphan, explained that the word "oriental" was offensive because it was first used to signify everything east of London and later to characterize people with flat noses, small eyes, black hair and mysterious ways.
As an example, documents known as "Rap Sheets" are administered and kept by New York State's Division of Criminal Justice Services. Rap Sheets contain information including but not limited to an individual's arrest record, criminal history record and disposition of the current charges. Currently, on Rap Sheets, under the category for "race", if a defendant is of Asian American descent, they list the defendant as "oriental".
Prior legislative history
None
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.