MAYOR GIULIANI SIGNS CITY COUNCIL BILL NO. 804-A INTO LAW, PROHIBITING THE PUBLIC DISPLAY OF DISCRIMINATORY PRICING BASED ON GENDER
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today signed City Council Bill Number 804-A, a law that amends the Administrative Code of the City of New York to prohibit the public display of discriminatory pricing based on gender by a retail establishment.
"While my Administration and Human Rights Commission have made every effort to root out discriminatory gender pricing, this law provides an added level of protection for consumers," Mayor Giuliani said. "This law prohibits businesses such as hair cutting and dry cleaning establishments from basing prices purely on gender. The measure also allows the City's Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) to issue violations."
The Mayor continued, "While it should be noted that charging such prices based on gender is a form of discrimination already prohibited by the City's Human Rights Law, DCA now has mandated powers to collect fines from violators as a result of this law."
The Human Rights Commission has the authority to bring individual actions against persons who engage in gender-based pricing discrimination. As of last year, 13 actions alleging gender pricing discrimination were filed with the Commission against dry cleaning and hair cutting businesses.
The bill passed the City Council on December 17, 1997. It was sponsored by Council Members Koslowitz, Eristoff, Stabile and Wooten, and Public Advocate Mark Green. On January 6, the Mayor held a hearing to consider public testimony, at which time statements were heard on the bill's provisions. The law takes effect immediately.
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