What's happening
This bill prohibits property owners and associations from banning religious items on entry doors, with certain safety and size exceptions.
Why it matters
Protects religious expression at home. This bill ensures that individuals can display items of religious significance on their entry doors, reinforcing the right to practice and express religious beliefs in personal living spaces, even in multi-unit or association-governed properties.
Limits on restrictions for safety and legality. While granting broad rights to display religious items, the bill allows property owners or associations to restrict displays only if they pose safety risks, block doors, are illegal or obscene, violate laws, or exceed a defined size—balancing personal rights with community and safety concerns.
Applies to a wide range of housing situations. The definitions cover landlords, sublessors, co-op boards, and homeowner associations, meaning renters, owners, and residents in various dwelling types all benefit from these protections.
Provides process during property maintenance. The bill clarifies that if entry doors need repair or replacement, residents may temporarily need to remove religious items, but must be notified and can restore them afterward—ensuring rights are respected during necessary work.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Allow Religious Symbols on Homes
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 7
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to rules
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.
Protect Religious Displays at Home
In Assembly Committee · Governmental Operations · Sponsor Charles Lavine
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6843
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
November 8, 2019
Introduced by Sen. KAPLAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the civil rights law, in relation to the display of religious items on dwellings
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The civil rights law is amended by adding a new section 79-p to read as follows:
§ 79-p. Display of religious items on dwellings. 1. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a property owner shall not enforce or adopt a restrictive covenant or any other restriction that prohibits one or more religious items from being displayed or affixed on any entry door or entry doorframe of a dwelling.
2. To the extent permitted by the New York State Constitution and the United States Constitution, this section shall not prohibit the enforcement or adoption of a restrictive covenant or other restriction prohibiting the display or affixing of a religious item on any entry door or entry doorframe to a dwelling that:
(a) threatens the public health or safety;
(b) hinders the opening or closing of any entry door;
(c) violates any federal, state, or local law;
(d) contains graphics, language or any display that is obscene or otherwise illegal; or
(e) individually or in combination with any other religious item displayed or affixed on any entry door or doorframe, has a total size greater than thirty-six by twelve square inches, provided it does not exceed the size of the door.
3. (a) No governing document of an association shall limit or prohibit the display of one or more religious items on the entry door or entry doorframe of a member's separate interest.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13987-01-9
S. 6843 2
(b) If an association is performing maintenance, repair, or replacement of an entry door or doorframe that serves a member's separate interest, the member may be required to remove a religious item during the time the work is being performed. After completion of the association's work, the member may again display or affix the religious item. The association shall provide individual notice to the member regarding the temporary removal of the religious item.
4. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) "property owner" means an association, board, member, landlord, or sublessor;
(b) "association" means a nonprofit corporation or unincorporated association created for the purpose of managing a common interest development;
(c) "board" means the board of directors of an association;
(d) "member" means an owner of a separate interest; and
(e) "religious item" means an item displayed because of sincerely held religious belief.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the civil rights law, in relation to the display of religious items on dwellings
PURPOSE::
Prohibits property owners from enforcing a restrictive covenant or any other restriction that prohibits a religious item from being displayed or affixed on any entry door or doorframe.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS::
Section 1 adds a new section 79-p of the civil rights law to prohibit property owners from enforcing a restrictive covenant or any other restriction that prohibits a religious item from being displayed or affixed on any entry door or doorframe.
Further this section does not prohibit enforcement of a restrictive covenant for display on any door or doorway, if public health or safety is put at risk, attaching the religious item hinders closing or opening of the door, violates any federal, state, or local law , contains graph- ics, language or any display that is obscene or illegal, exceeds a certain size requirement. This section states that if an association is performing maintenance, repair, or replacement of an entry door or door- frame, the member may be required to remove the religious item during the time of work being performed, and may affix it at the conclusion of work.
Section 2 is the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION::
Patterned after a California law, this legislation aims to protect the rights of any individual to display a religious item on their door or doorframe. Connecticut, Florida, Rhode Island, Illinois and Texas also have laws on the books.
In the Jewish faith, Jews are commanded to "write the words of G-d on the gates and doorposts of your house" (Deuteronomy 6:9), thus affixing a mezuzah is done to achieve this mitzvah.
This legislation seeks to protect the religious rights of Jews or any other religion to attach a religious item on their doorframe or entry door with appropriate restrictions.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY::
None.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS::
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE::
This act shall take effect on the thirties day after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.